


Until Proven Guilty

by theVelveteenPlatypus



Series: The X-Clan [2]
Category: Fighter - Monsta X (Music Video), Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Fan theory, M/M, Magic, The Clan, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-25 14:59:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9825548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theVelveteenPlatypus/pseuds/theVelveteenPlatypus
Summary: Separated, the boys of the X-Clan try to find their way back to each other—before their secrets tear them apart.Based on the music video for The Clan part 2: Guilty (Fighter).





	1. Prologue: Scattered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second part of my X-Clan series, so if you haven't read part 1: Lost Boys I highly recommend it or else this probably isn't going to make any sense.

_ Inhale. _

_ Exhale. _

_ Inhale. _

_ Exhale. _

_ Shownu floated in perfect darkness, following the sound of steady breathing. He didn't know how long he had been floating like this, but that didn't seem to matter in a world devoid of everything except that soothing rhythm. _

_ The thought had no sooner crossed his mind than there was a change in the breaths— they became more labored as he listened, their cadence quickening, panicked. He tried to open his eyes but the black was uninterrupted, leaving him disoriented and confused. The breaths became erratic, shorter and more strained, but if he could only find their source... _

Shownu’s consciousness slammed back into his body, and he realized that the choked gasps were clawing their way out of his own throat. His heart was racing, seemingly trying to beat its way out of his chest, and he focused on trying to calm it before he passed out again. His whooping breaths were making him light-headed and bursts of stars clouded his vision as he fought for air. Gritting his teeth against his body's rebellion, he closed his eyes and began counting.

Inhale, exhale...1

Inhale, exhale...2

Inhale, exhale...3

Inhale...4

Exhale...1

Inhale...2

Exhale...3, 4

Inhale...1, 2

He continued counting until he could inhale for three beats and exhale for three more, his vision steadily clearing and the ringing leaving his ears.

Shownu opened his eyes and let them adjust to the gloom. He was standing in a spot of dim light, leaning on a concrete pillar but with no other walls that he could see. Sliding to the floor he wracked his brain for how he got here, or for any indication as to where  _ here  _ was. He rested the back of his head against the concrete behind him and started where he could last remember.

 

\---

 

_ Shownu sat against a tree, watching his family as they breakfasted on berries and nuts they had found in Shidae's meadow. He smiled as Jooheon threw a nut at Hyungwon’s head, who gave him an irritated glare. Jooheon stared at the other boy with wide, innocent eyes, and proceeded to throw another nut that glanced off Hyungwon’s forehead. Shownu stifled a laugh at the scrambling retaliation it sparked from the other boy, not wanting to incur his wrath. _

_ They had been staying at Shidae's house for a few days now, half-heartedly exploring the surrounding woods and appreciating the freedom they hadn't had in their small town ever since the increasingly strict soldiers' occupation. Shownu closed his eyes and relished the slight breeze ruffling his hair, letting the bickering and laughter of his friends blend into a soothing background hum. _

_ After their breakfast wound down and they were all lounging contentedly, Shownu stood and stretched. _

_ "Alright, let's break up and work our way a bit farther today. Jooheon and Wonho, go north and try to see how far up the mountain you can get _ — _ you might be able to see better from up there and then we can get an idea of the area we're working with." _

_ Jooheon groaned theatrically, but jumped up and helped Wonho to his feet. _

_ "Kihyun and Changkyun, can you start circling the mountain? Don't go up or down unless you have to, just try to get as far around as you can." _

_ "Will do," Kihyun said brightly. _

_ Turning to Minhyuk and Hyungwon last, he said, "We'll work our way down the mountain _ — _ I'm hoping we can find some evidence of where Shidae and his wife went." _

_ Minhyuk and Hyungwon nodded together, reaching for their packs. _

_ Shownu looked at his family and happily shouldered the trust he saw shining so obviously in their eyes. _

_ He smiled, "Alright then. Be safe out there and we'll meet back here for dinner and go over what we've found." _

_ Jooheon grabbed his pack and gave a jaunty salute before leading Wonho across the meadow, Kihyun and Changkyun following close behind. Shownu turned back to Minhyuk and Hyungwon, settling his own pack on his shoulders. _

_ "And we're off," he said grinning. _

_ "Way off," Minhyuk finished the familiar exchange from when they were kids, taking Hyungwon's hand as they started down the mountain. _

_ They traveled in companionable silence, walking single file through the thick underbrush. A bird whistled at them and Minhyuk whistled back, making them laugh. _

_ The day passed uneventfully, and they were quickly becoming discouraged. Shownu was considering calling it a day when he heard a breaking branch echo distantly. _

_ They all froze, Minhyuk balancing on one foot mid-step. Shownu caught Hyungwon's eye and raised a finger to his lips before treading silently to the front to peer around a tree. _

_ They were just at the edge of a clearing and Shownu could see the vague outlines of a group of people on the other side. His heart leapt, thinking that maybe they had found members of a mountain Clan until he saw the unmistakable shapes of rifles slung across their backs. _

_ Shownu backed away from the clearing as silently as he could. He turned to the hopeful faces of Minhyuk and Hyungwon and shook his head quickly. _

_ "Soldiers," he mouthed, motioning for them to turn around. _

_ Minhyuk looked shocked, and glanced at Hyungwon with panic in his eyes. They backed away together, moving with agonizing caution. When Shownu thought they had put enough distance between themselves and the clearing, he straightened and turned only to find himself face to face with another group of soldiers that must have circled behind them. _

_ "Lost?" one of the soldiers asked, his grin making Shownu's heart sink into his stomach. _

_ Before any of them could react, the soldiers had thrown them to the ground, twisting their arms roughly behind their backs. _

_ "Shownu!" Minhyuk cried, his eyes rolling wildly. "Hyungwon? Hyungwon!" _

_ Shownu felt his hands being bound and tried bucking his soldier off of him, but was pushed roughly to his side. The pain of his head hitting the ground sent a shock of corrupt energy skating across his mind. and he tried to push down his fear so that he could focus. He saw Minhyuk struggling against his captor and crying for Hyungwon who had been knocked out and was being dragged away by another soldier. Before Shownu could do or say anything he saw the butt of a rifle being swung at his face and was swallowed by black, Minhyuk's cries following him into unconsciousness. _

 

\---

 

Shownu's head sagged, chin resting on his chest. He had been captured along with Hyungwon and Minhyuk— he had let his family down.

Remembering the Kiform ritual, he tentatively tried reaching his family through their bond, searching for the familiar tug on his energy. Instead, he felt a sharp crackling run down his spine. His head swam and would have fallen if he hadn't already been sitting.

_ What the hell? _

His memories fell into place as he realized what had happened— the vial, Grandfather... he felt another arc of pain course through his body, an echo of the pure energy he had lost by trying to pull Grandfather’s spirit back to him despite his being a natural death. He shuddered at the unnatural and warped energy that had replaced the gentle energy he had learned through the Kiform ritual, his worst fear confirmed. He had done exactly what Shidae had entrusted him to prevent: he had Gone Bad.


	2. Level One

Changkyun stood balanced on the pedals of his bike, letting the slight downhill of the pavement carry him along the familiar road and rushing him through the tunnel away from the warehouse he and the other boys were camping out in. The spacious warehouse had been making him feel claustrophobic recently. His outings were becoming more frequent in an attempt to alleviate his cabin fever.

The warehouse had felt like a haven after weeks of hiding on the outskirts of the hospital grounds, but it was hardly a home. Lowering himself onto the seat of the bike to resume pedaling along the leveling road, he grimaced at how much he had taken the orphanage for granted. Having been uprooted after so many years of having a home, a _real_ home, Changkyun couldn't help but think back on his life before Jooheon found him. He shuddered, brushing the memories away and focusing back on his surroundings. He was close to the abandoned building he had claimed as his refuge and began following the route he was still committing to memory.

He slowed as he approached the driveway of an empty house and carefully stashed the old bicycle in an overgrown hedge before slipping through the side door. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly and letting his shoulders sag now that he was alone. He meandered to the far wall, trailing his hands through spiraling dust motes caught in the dim light, and slid to the floor with a sigh. He hadn't told the other boys about his shabby getaway, and even though they had probably noticed his disappearances they had been respectful enough to let him have his space.

He had been coming to this house for a few nights in a row now, enjoying the smaller space in contrast to the sprawling warehouse. Almost all of the places he had lived in, even if only for a short while, had been very small. He had thought he would quickly adapt to the new space, but the soaring ceilings and large rooms of the warehouse still felt as disconcerting as when they had first arrived. He felt a pang of guilt for not confiding in his family about his feelings or his visits to the house, especially Kihyun, but he just didn’t know how yet. A selfish part of him wanted to keep his haven to himself as something purely his own, but he knew he would have to tell them soon.

Changkyun rested his head against the wall behind him and let his mind go blank, focusing on his steady breathing until he could feel the energy thrumming through his body. Along with Kihyun, Wonho, and Jooheon, he had been honing his ability to interact with life energy that he had been given upon completing the Kiform ritual. They practiced every day, with each other or alone, and each time the connection was made more easily than the last. He felt his consciousness slide into what they began calling the 'Kiform plane' and when he opened his eyes again...

 

\---

 

The house looked the same but felt sharper somehow, more in focus now that he was actively engaging so much more of his mind. He stretched his arms above his head, experimentally flexing his fingers. Glancing down, he started when he saw that his clothes had changed. A black and yellow checkered shirt covered his black one, and as he ran the unfamiliar material through his fingers, he pondered the change and what might have caused it. He looked around for any other new additions and found a teddy bear sitting next to him. Shaken, he reached for the bear and felt his eyes fill with tears, lifting the small stuffed animal to eye level. Unlike his old bear, this one had shiny brown fur and both of its bright black eyes intact— it was how he imagined his bear had looked before he salvaged it so long ago.

Hugging the bear to his chest, he noticed a small black box by his feet. With a cry of delight he picked up the portable video game, its sleek design free of scuffs and the screen coming to life in his hands. He drew his knees to his chest, cradling the bear in his lap and fixing his eyes curiously on the small glow of the display. The start screen blinked at him, and he hesitated. Changkyun vaguely realized that these pieces of his childhood were being made real in the Kiform plane and that he would have to be careful not to let too much of his subconscious seep into the space he shared with the other boys. They were all connected on this plane, in tune with each other and able to share certain parts of the plane itself, and his experiences here could affect them as much as him. Still, just a few minutes couldn't hurt...

He pressed start, the screen swirling into…

 

_LEVEL ONE_

 

\---

 

_A twelve-year-old Changkyun laid in bed, his sheets drenched in sweat. He raised a hand to his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized his fever had finally broken—he had spent two long days filled with delirium that blurred the dreaming and waking worlds. He knew that his parents and their doctor friend were somewhere nearby, bringing him damp clothes to lay against his forehead and coaxing mouthfuls of water down his raw throat. He licked his lips, feeling how cracked and chapped they had become, and wondered where his parents were._

_Hours or minutes later, Changkyun propped himself up on his elbows, the pressure in his head sending spots swarming across his vision as the room tilted drunkenly. He willed his bleary eyes to focus, managing to recognize the furniture and walls of his room in the glow coming from his curtained window. He shook his head, blinking hard when the movement sent the room spinning. Taking a deep breath, he carefully pushed himself into a sitting position and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His bare feet dangled a few inches above the floor. He flexed his ankles, feeling how stiff his joints and muscles had become from being stuck in bed. Changkyun pulled the sheet tightly around his shoulders before bracing himself to stand. Finding his balance, he wove a path to the door, leaning heavily on the frame and listening to the familiar sounds of his house._

_His muscles loosening up and his mind already clearer than before, Changkyun realized with a start that his house was quiet— no creaking of the walls, no murmured conversation from the kitchen— it was completely silent. The unnatural stillness sent fear skittering down his spine. He peered into the hallway._

_"Mom?" he ventured. "Dad?"_

_The fog in his head gave way to outright panic as he stumbled down the hallway, the sheet trailing behind him. He veered to his parents' room and was shocked to find their bed stripped of its sheets and glaringly empty. His parents wouldn't have just left without him, especially since they had been as sick as he was. He was about to try calling out again when he heard hushed voices coming from the front hallway and hope fluttered in his chest. Breaking into a run, Changkyun whipped around the corner and skidded to a stop when he found himself face to face with a group of boys who looked almost as surprised as he felt._

_"Who..." He said shakily before one of them took a step forward, palms out in a steadying gesture._

_"Are your parents here?" The boy looked uneasy, his eyes flitting over Changkyun's shoulder._

_"I...I don't know. I can't find them, but you..." He drew himself up, pulling the sheet around him and shooting the boys a glare, "What are you doing in my house? Where are my—"_

_"Woah there— take it easy, kid. We don't know where your parents are, okay? We're just..." He let his excuse trail away before giving Changkyun a once-over. His eyes widened and he took a careful step back. "He's sick," he said to his companions. One of the other boys scowled, "Come on, Jeongwook— we're wasting our time."_

_"How long have you been sick?" the first boy asked._

_Changkyun felt his stomach twist uneasily. "I don't know, a week maybe? I'm getting better though." He jutted out his chin, defiant despite the waves of dizziness making him rock on his heels._

_The boy relaxed, "See? If he's made it this long he's going to be fine."_

_"What about his parents? There was an X marking the door— he shouldn't even be here," the other boy hissed._

_Jeongwook turned back around, speaking softly. "Were your parents sick too?"_

_"Yeah," Changkyun said hesitantly, "but—"_

_"Dead, then," the other boy interjected. "Come on, man— this kid is going to be a wreck."_

_Changkyun leaned against the wall nearest him and slid to the floor, the word dead echoing in his head._

_"We can use him," Jeongwook insisted, his eyes locked on Changkyun's._

_The other boy threw up his hands, frustrated. "You’re hopeless. Always a sucker for charity cases."_

_Jeongwook shot him a glare, which the other boy returned._

_"Fine," he conceded, narrowing his eyes at Changkyun. "But he's your problem."_

_Jeongwook shrugged his shoulders as the other boy stormed outside. "Don't mind Taehyuk, he's always like that." Smiling, he stood and offered his hand. "What do you say, kid?"_

_Changkyun bit his lip, still stuck on Taehyuk’'s words. In barely a whisper he asked, "Are my parents really...dead?"_

_Jeongwook grimaced and ran his hands through his shaggy hair. He knelt again, looking at Changkyun apologetically. "Odds are, yeah. But you don't have to be alone, just stick with us and you'll turn out alright."_

_Changkyun was still foggy, but if his parents were really gone then he didn't have any other options. Pulling himself to his feet with the help of the other boy, he swayed but managed to stay upright._

_"Good man," Jeongwook grinned. "Guess we should catch up to the guys. What's your name, kid?"_

_"I'm..." Changkyun paused, not sure if he should give a total stranger his real name. "I am, um..."_

_"I.M.? Cool name." he quirked a smile before turning for the door. "You might want to grab some clothes real quick— I'll wait outside."_

_Changkyun realized he still had the sheet tucked around him and blushed furiously, glad Jeongwook was already out the door. He balled up the sheet and tossed it on the couch, tracing his fingers along the walls for balance as he walked back to his room and tried to make sense of the last fifteen minutes. He mindlessly grabbed clothes at random and stopped in the kitchen for a glass of water, hyperaware of all he was leaving behind. Pounding the water, he leaned against the counter and took a few deep breaths, forcibly burying the idea of his parents being gone before he could think about it too hard. He had to catch up to these strange new boys or else he would be alone... He willed away his panic and stood up straight, his mind clearing as he downed another glass of water. Squaring his shoulders, he walked out of his house for the last time._

 

\---

 

Changkyun heard a small chime and looked at the game held in his shaking hands.

_LEVEL ONE CLEARED!_

_\- 2 PARENT_

_+1 ALLY_

_+1 GANG_

_2X SURVIVAL BONUS_

_+1 BEAR_

_START LEVEL TWO?_

Changkyun blinked. _What the hell?_ looking around, he saw a fluffy white teddy bear with a green bow tied around its neck laying on its side by his feet. He scooped up the bear and studied its shiny blue eyes, glancing between it and the small bear still resting in his lap. He carefully sat the new bear against the wall beside him and turned back to the game. The prompt was still flashing cheerily on the screen.

_START LEVEL TWO?_

He knew that he should go back to the warehouse and let the boys know about...whatever this was. Instead, his curiosity got the better of him and he pressed the start button to advance to the next level. They could wait.

 

\---

 

_"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Changkyun asked Jeongwook nervously._

_Jeongwook snorted. "Of course not, but if anyone can pull it off it's us." He took a long drag off his cigarette before passing it to Changkyun. "Ten minutes until the truck gets here— I'll be inside."_

_Changkyun finished the cigarette lost in his thoughts, wincing when he accidentally hit the filter. Stepping on the butt to make sure it was out, he took a deep breath and forced his face to remain neutral before following Jeongwook inside._

_"Hey I.M, you ready?" asked Taehyuk with a smirk, elbowing Changkyun playfully._

_"Always," he answered, shoving him back with a smile. Taehyuk had warmed to Changkyun after the first month of being part of the gang, and they had quickly become good friends._

_"I've got your backpack," he said, lifting it by the straps. "I'll make sure it gets in the truck with us. I left your bear out, it's by the door."_

_He , thought Changkyun reflexively. He went to grab the bear, lifting it to eye level and looking at his scuffed black eyes and patchy fur. Changkyun would never admit it to the guys, but he really liked this bear— Hoseok the bear._

_Hoseok had been Taehyuk's idea. A lot of their food was either stolen or salvaged, but when Changkyun joined the gang they had started using him to get handouts. As the youngest by far, he was more likely to convince adults to give him free food or money— all he had to do was look pitiful. He hated it, but being a scrawny, grungy kid was sometimes the difference between having food or going to bed hungry, and when he found Hoseok abandoned in an alley Taehyuk decided that it made the act more believable._

_It also made him an excellent decoy._

_The delivery truck for the small grocery store a few blocks away came down this street every Tuesday at 8:55 exactly, slowing before rounding the corner onto the main road. In approximately four minutes, the driver was going to hit a scrawny, grungy kid carrying a bear named Hoseok._

_Well, almost hit if Changkyun was as nimble as the boys thought._

_"Here goes nothing," he muttered to Hoseok, ruffling his dirty hair and pulling at his clothes so that they were askew. He hugged Hoseok to his chest, an act for the guys but a comfort to him, stepping outside into to the shadows of the doorway's narrow arch._

_He heard the rumbling of the truck's wheels and peeked around the archway to see it trundling down the road, right on time. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Changkyun counted in his head and squeezed Hoseok around the middle, listening to the truck's approach. He would need to wait for the right moment— wait... NOW._

_He raced from his hiding spot and gave a yelp to make sure the driver would see him and was just reaching the front of the truck when the driver slammed on the brakes. He deftly sidestepped, staying low. He hit his hands palms out against the bumper and tossed Hoseok onto the hood. The truck came to a screeching halt and he scurried underneath it._

_Changkyun was panting hard, but clapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his breathing as the driver's side door opened and the man ran to the front in a complete panic. Shuffling so that he was facing the front of the truck, he saw the driver's feet spinning around as he searched for Changkyun until he finally knelt down to look under the vehicle. He put on his best terrified look and ignored the soft padding of footsteps as the guys commandeered the truck._

_"Kid?" The truck driver asked, his eyes wide and worried. "Are you okay? Shit, I didn't even see you—are you hurt? Come out from under there, it's okay."_

_Changkyun let himself be coaxed out from under the car, favoring his right leg and huddling against the bumper. He saw Hoseok laying a few feet away and made a groping motion— the man rushed to bring the bear to Changkyun who hugged him to his chest._

_Then the driver chose that moment to look through the truck's windshield._

_His eyes narrowed and he looked between the front seat and Changkyun, his mouth turning into a snarl as he realized he had been played._

_"Why you little..." He grabbed Changkyun roughly by the arm and they both heard the truck's engine roar to life._

_Changkyun panicked— the guys were going off script. They were supposed to hide until he could make a break for the front seat and then make a clean escape, they weren't even supposed to be in the cab of the truck at all because Changkyun was designated as the getaway driver._

_Jeongwook was perched in the passenger's seat and he gave Changkyun a flippant salute while Taehyuk sat in the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel and with his eyes staring straight ahead.  A chill swept down Changkyun’s spine as he realized that they weren't deviating from the plan, this had been their plan all along._

_The engine revved again, and Changkyun and the driver barely made it out of the truck's path before it veered into the main road heading in the opposite direction of its intended destination. With the truck disappearing from view, the driver spun Changkyun around by his arm with fury in his eyes._

_"Your friends may have gotten away, but you're not going anywhere," he hissed. "You're going to pay for—"_

_Changkyun ripped his arm away, badly wrenching his shoulder, but was whipped back around when the driver got a hold of Hoseok's legs. Changkyun pulled with all his might, but when the driver swiped at him he bolted, letting go of Hoseok with a cry and running away as fast as his hammering heart could manage._

_Long after the yells of the driver faded, Changkyun ducked into an unfamiliar alley, completely lost. He couldn't believe it— his gang had just… left him. With a bitter pang, he realized that he had never really been a part of the gang. That considering them a family was just a romanticized delusion to cling to after losing his parents. He had been a meal ticket to them, discarded simply because it had been convenient. Tears filled his eyes as he realized that he now had no home and no possessions since his pack had been in the truck. He wished more than anything that he still had Hoseok._

_His lip quivering, he retreated back into the dark of the alley and sat against a wall, hidden behind a dumpster until he could figure out what to do next._

_"Hey! What are you doing back here?"_

_Changkyun jerked his head up, shrinking against the wall. A boy around his age stood in front of him, his eyes wide and sparkling._

_Changkyun didn't trust himself to speak, so he swiped at the tears in his eyes and said nothing._

_The boy cocked his head, "Are you lost? My parents can probably help you get home, they know their way around the whole town..." His boastful tone trailed away as Changkyun made an involuntary strangled sound, longing for his own parents and fully realizing just how alone he was.  His pain must have been written clearly on his face because the other boy paused, frowning. He carefully sat down cross-legged a few paces away, staring at the ground._

_"Where are your parents?" He asked quietly, fidgeting with his hands._

_Changkyun only shook his head, already tamping down his rush of neglected emotion._

_"Well," the other boy ventured, "you can borrow mine if you're lost." He grinned and got to his feet. "My name is Jooheon— do you want to come with me?"_

_Changkyun looked at Jooheon, the boy confidently holding out a hand to help him up. He hesitated for a moment before letting himself be hoisted to his feet, following Jooheon to find his parents and putting Taehyuk and the gang out of his mind— his life as I.M was over._

 

\---

 

_LEVEL TWO CLEARED!_

_-1 GANG_

_+1 FRIEND_

_+1 BEAR_

_START LEVEL THREE?_

Changkyun didn't hesitate this time when the prompt flashed on the screen, pausing only to draw a third materialized bear to sit with him before pressing the start button and feeling himself fall back into the game.

 

\---

 

_Changkyun and Jooheon tore down the street, ducking into an alley and trying to catch their breath. Changkyun realized that they were in the alley where they first met, a cruel irony that he tried not to dwell on. He looked at Jooheon and saw the other boy slumped against the wall, staring off into space. Changkyun frowned, hurrying over and shaking Jooheon's shoulders until his friend's eyes focused on him._

_"Jooheon, we have to keep going."_

_"They didn't do anything," he replied, his eyes glazing over again._

_"I know, Jooheon. I know. But we can't stay here, we can't let them find us." Changkyun raked his hands through his hair, "We have to find the man who runs the orphanage. That’s what your parents wanted."_

_Jooheon nodded and then shook his head vigorously. Slowly, his eyes came back into focus. "Right. Okay, let's go." Jooheon’s entire demeanor shifted, and he confidently walked out of the alley with a dangerous glint in his eyes. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides and he wasn't being as cautious as Changkyun would have liked, but at least he was present now. Changkyun knew what it was like to go into emotional shock and the paralysis that came with waves of raw emotion, but they didn't have time to process the loss of Jooheon's parents right now. He was thankful Jooheon had been able to snap out of it, latching onto his anger to keep going. Changkyun was worried for his friend, but glad that they were moving again. Anger he could work with._

_Changkyun ran a bit to catch up and fell into step with the other boy. His eyes darted around frantically looking for signs that they were being followed._

_Jooheon, on the other hand, was practically sauntering down the street as if he hadn't a care in the world. He definitely wasn't acting like he’d just watched his parents’ execution (a memory Changkyun had quickly buried along with the thought that he had lost yet another family. He was beginning to believe that he would never have a family he could hold onto and he was tired of having that security taken away from him over and over again)._

_They stopped at a street corner. Jooheon stared at the writing on the nearest building without saying anything. Changkyun fidgeted, hyperaware that they didn't have time to waste but also that Jooheon might freak out if Changkyun offered to read the sign for him. Clearing his throat, Changkyun stepped closer to Jooheon and carefully rested a hand on the other boy's shoulder. Surprisingly, Jooheon didn't swat it away— he just sagged his shoulders and mumbled a quiet, "Go ahead."_

_"First National Bank," Changkyun said softly. Jooheon was embarrassed that he couldn't read well, but Changkyun had been working with him and they were making slow but steady progress. It was still frustrating for Jooheon, needing to have words read for him, and Changkyun resolved to talk with him later to reassure him that they would keep working together no matter where they ended up. They would need each other more than ever now._

_Changkyun covered his eyes trying to think, his mind running in circles and hopelessly lost. "I don't recognize either of these streets. Where did—"_

_"I do," Jooheon said more confidently, brightening with purpose as he continued. "If we head west, we should hit the weird street lamp and that road will take us almost straight to the orphanage." He glanced at Changkyun, his smile playful but his eyes haunted, "Race you."_

_With another quick survey of their surroundings, Changkyun nodded and they took off running again. They passed shops and streets and pockets of people who gave them irritated glares when they passed, but eventually the boys found themselves in front of a quiet, unassuming house that was supposedly the orphanage run by a man Jooheon's parents trusted. Changkyun hoped that they were right, because whoever answered the door would have the power to turn them over to the police if they so chose._

_"It's smaller than I thought it would be," Changkyun admitted, panting heavily. Jooheon wasn’t much better off, resting his hands on his knees and gulping for air. "Are you sure this is the place?"_

_Jooheon nodded, straightening. "Yep. My parents..." he faltered, "they took me here a couple times when they dropped off blankets and stuff. I never met anyone, but I recognize the house." He shuffled his feet in the dirt, "Changkyun?"_

_"Mmm?"_

_"Thank you. For being my friend."_

_Changkyun felt his ears burning, caught off guard. "You're the only real friend I've ever had, Jooheon. And your—" he bit his lip, choosing his words carefully. "You saved me, you know. That day in the alley. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't found me there."_

_Jooheon managed a half-hearted grin, "You'll never have to know." Grabbing Changkyun by the hand, they walked to the front door and knocked._

_A boy answered, maybe a few years their senior. He was tall with his black hair cut short and his eyebrows were raised in surprise. Before they could say anything, the boy turned and yelled into the house, "Grandfather?"_

_An older man appeared in the doorway, taking in Changkyun and Jooheon before stepping to the side and holding the door open. "Shownu?" he said to the boy in the doorway. "Would you go round up the others and have them meet us in the great room?"_

_Shownu glanced at them briefly before running into the house. Changkyun could hear him yelling new names and he wondered how many people lived in this small house. Could they find room for two more?_

_The old man smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Come inside, boys. I have a feeling you have a story for us, and it just so happens that I've made tea." He turned and disappeared into the house, leaving the door wide open for them._

_Changkyun looked at Jooheon and they shared an incredulous look, not sure what to make of their situation. Jooheon smiled tentatively and Changkyun nodded a silent reply. Hoping they were making the right decision, they crossed the threshold, hands still clasped firmly together._

 

\---

 

Changkyun rested the game on his knees and rubbed at his grainy eyes. He had no idea how long he had been sitting in the building, but he had a feeling that he had let himself play for much longer than he should have. He glanced outside and groaned when he saw that the sun was almost touching the horizon. Rolling his stiff shoulders, Changkyun surveyed the small mountain of bears he was nestled in. Picking up Hoseok, he stared into the bear's bright black eyes and sighed. He was relieved to have finally faced all of the memories he had buried for so long, but it hadn't been easy.

Changkyun carefully set Hoseok on the ground and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing until he felt the familiar energy coursing through him. With a twinge of regret he concentrated, and when he opened his eyes again...

 

\---

 

Changkyun blinked in the dark of the old house, trying to get his bearings. He didn't bother checking around him for the game or the bears— he knew that they were only real to him on the Kiform plane, but he wished he could at least have kept Hoseok. Pushing himself to his feet, he went to retrieve his bike and began the long ride home. He pedaled slowly in the dim light,  relieved when the small neighborhood gave way to the bigger streets that were better lit.

When he reached the tunnel, Changkyun was surprised to see the outlines of Kihyun and Wonho riding towards him on their own bikes.

"What are you guys doing all the way out here?" He asked when they were within earshot.

"Looking for you," Kihyun replied guiltily. "We weren't following you, I swear— but we need you back at the warehouse."

One look at Kihyun's sincere expression made Changkyun melt. He knew Kihyun was telling the truth, mostly because he was a terrible liar, but even if he wasn't it was impossible to be mad at him for very long.

Changkyun nodded. "Let's head back before it gets too late, you can fill me in on the way." He gripped his handlebars, "Look, guys, I'm sorry—"

"It's okay, Changkyun," Wonho interrupted with a smile. "We get cabin fever, too. I have my workshop, and you have your… wherever you go."

Changkyun was grateful that his friends were being so understanding, but he knew that he wouldn't be back to that house again. The idea of playing that game was too tempting— and to have Hoseok again...

"Yeah, about that. There’s something I want to tell you."

He told them about the game, the bears, the memories— all of it. It was hard to reveal his darkest secrets after carefully keeping them for all these years, but they were his family, his _real_ family, and he wouldn't hide from them anymore.


	3. A Few Hours

_ Minhyuk's head rolled loosely on his shoulders, his neck unable to hold its weight. He vaguely recognized that he was sitting on a hard floor and leaning against a bed. He wasn't sure how he knew it was a bed, but he couldn't hold onto the thought long enough to wonder why through the unrelenting fog clouding his mind. Managing to sway his head into leaning back, he felt the slight yield of the bed's mattress and tried to focus on holding that position— the collar of the straitjacket cut uncomfortably into his throat otherwise. _

_ Inevitably, his head swung down along his shoulders again, the sudden movement painting flashes of blue and purple across the backs of his eyelids and sending a crackling of energy down his arms bound across his chest. He felt a spasm run through his otherwise unresponsive muscles that flared, momentarily expanding his awareness enough that he heard a steady beeping from across the room and recognized the figure lying prone on the bed. _

_ Hyungwon. _

_ His spirit reached for Hyungwon and found the other boy engulfed in a similar haze, small bursts of energy radiating from him in irregular waves. A particularly strong surge allowed their minds to touch, both of them immediately latching onto the other as confusion and panic clashed amidst the affection and love they shared. The moment cut off too soon for either of them to make much sense of it before descending back into their private hazes. _

_ Minhyuk wasn't sure how many times they repeated this, feverishly reuniting only to be torn apart again, in a space that was hardly more than fragmented consciousness and a low hum of energy running through it all. His world was reduced to quietly rhythmic beeping, sparks of energy, and Hyungwon. Always Hyungwon. _

 

\---

 

Wonho jerked his head up, blinking and trying to loosen up the knots in his shoulders from falling asleep at his workbench. Again. He shook his head vigorously, trying to block out Minhyuk's drugged reverie that he had accidentally fallen into. Wonho sighed, standing and stamping feeling back into his feet. Whatever the hospital staff was giving Minhyuk and Hyungwon must be incredibly potent for their energy to be so active, but Wonho knew that their sanity could only last so long at such elevated levels. He felt helpless and ran a hand through his blue-tipped hair in frustration, hoping that he could get them and Shownu out before their brains became mush.

Their leader had been taken along with Minhyuk and Hyungwon, but his spirit was nearly impossible to reach. When they tried, they had gotten brief flashes of color and intense spikes of fear, but they were quickly drowned in what Wonho could only describe as mental static. He suppressed a shudder and tried not to think too hard about what Shownu must be going through that would shut him out this way.

Pacing back to his workbench, Wonho grabbed his fireproof gloves and slipped them over his tired hands then made his way to the small forge he had created for himself with the help of the other boys. He carefully rolled his head along his shoulders to work out the tension in his neck, painfully reminded of Minhyuk attempting the same gesture, and picked up the metal he had been working on before his accidental nap. Pushing the plague of worries to the back of his mind, Wonho plunged the lengths of iron he had fashioned into an X back into the fire, watching it steadily glow red until it was ready to be worked. Holding the metal with tongs in one hand and brandishing a hammer with the other, he rained down a series of precise blows and lost himself in his work. The vibrations following each measured swing traced through his strengthened shoulders and the heat of the fire relentlessly pressed against his skin as he pounded out a steady rhythm, reminding himself that each resounding clang brought him a step closer to reuniting his family.

 

\---

 

Wonho staggered into what used to be the worker's lounge and dropped into a chair, resting his forehead on his crossed arms. He didn't even notice Changkyun until the other boy brought him a glass of water and sat across from him.

"How's the... your project coming along?"

Wonho lifted his head enough to meet Changkyun's eyes. He looked incredibly uncomfortable and Wonho sighed, sitting up to drink the water gratefully. He downed the whole glass before looking at Changkyun again.

"How long are you going to be weird around us?" Wonho asked, too exhausted to be tactful.

Changkyun cocked his head to one side, "What do you mean?"

"Ever since you told me and Kihyun about the game, you've been acting strangely." Changkyun blushed, but Wonho continued. "Look, Changkyun— everything you told us, everything you've been through, it doesn't change anything. We're your family, no matter what."

Changkyun managed a small smile, "Okay. Thank you, Wonho."

"Mmm," Wonho replied, burying his face in his arms again.

"Wonho?"

"Mmm?"

"When's the last time you slept?" Changkyun asked tentatively.

"Napped earlier," Wonho grunted, only half lying and practically asleep in his chair already. He sat up, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands.

Changkyun didn't seem convinced, "Maybe you should take another one?"

"I'm fine," he answered, blinking his eyes clear. "I just need to work for a few more hours until I'm at a stopping point."

Changkyun narrowed his eyes, "If you can make it back to your workshop without falling on your face, I'll eat my hat."

Wonho frowned, "You don't have a hat."

"I’ll find one and eat it."

Wonho looked down at his hands, swollen and sore from spending so much time in his workshop. "Well, I guess I could take a short nap," he conceded.

"Or a long one," Changkyun said. "You're dead on your feet."

Wonho shot him a half-hearted glare. "I get it, okay? I'm just..." he raked his fingers through his hair, "I'm close to figuring this out. I need a way to connect my machine across the Kiform plane so we can control it from here but still reach the hospital somehow, but we'd have to make the connection on the plane itself. I don't have the materials for anything like that, and even if I did..."

"I have an idea—"

"What?"

"—but I'm not going to tell you until you get a few hours of sleep."

"Changkyun!"

"You wanted me back to normal— this is normal."

“Bossy, more like,” Wonho grumbled.

"It's for your own good," Changkyun retorted haughtily. His face softened and he added quietly, "Get some rest, Wonho. We'll get them out, I promise, but we need you strong to do it."

Wonho knew he was right, but even as he made his way to his bed he felt like he was letting his friends down. He needed more time, but time was a luxury they didn't have. He remembered his flash of Minhyuk earlier and felt his shoulders sag. Changkyun promised that they would get the boys out, but keeping that promise depended heavily on Wonho finding a way to get his machine working and get them into that damned hospital. He sat on his bed and made another promise, this one to himself: when they were all together again, he would do everything in his power to keep them that way, no matter the cost.

He laid down and was asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow, his dreams fitful and filled with the steady rhythms of his forge and the hospital's faraway heart monitor.

 

\---

 

Wonho woke with a start, shocked to see that it was dark outside. He consulted his watch and leaped out of bed, still groggy but angry that he had slept for so long. He stormed into the kitchen and found Changkyun making food and looking pleased with himself.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Wonho demanded, "I slept for  _ seven hours _ !"

"I know," Changkyun said calmly. "You needed it."

Wonho did feel rested, but he would never admit it. He crossed his arms over his chest angrily, "What happened to 'a few hours'?"

"That was a few—"

"Three!  _ A few  _ is three— everybody knows that!"

Changkyun looked at him pointedly, "That's more sleep than you've gotten in the last week." Wonho narrowed his eyes, but Changkyun held up his hand before he could argue. "Walk with me." 

Changkyun picked up the two plates of food he had made, turned briskly on his heel, and walked in the direction of the forge, giving Wonho no choice but to follow. It wasn't a long walk, but Wonho felt his frustration ebbing away and by the time they sat down across from each other at his workbench, he had lost the angry tirade he had been rehearsing in his head. They were quiet, and when he finally looked up at Changkyun he was met with a level stare.

"Better?" Changkyun asked.

"Yeah," Wonho admitted. "Thanks."

Changkyun nodded, steepling his fingers under his chin thoughtfully. "You said that you needed a way to connect to your machine on the Kiform plane, right?"

Wonho nodded quickly, happy to be back with his work. "I've gotten most of the parts made and put together, though. Do you... Do you want to see it?"

Changkyun grinned at Wonho's nervous excitement, "Of course I do." He pointed at the plastic sheeting that covered Wonho's machine. "You've been keeping your work so secretive. It's been driving me crazy."

Wonho laughed, going over to the shrouded machine. "I wanted to make sure it was actually going to come together before I showed you guys. It took a few tries and a lot of adjustment, but I think this configuration is going to be the base of the final product." He gripped an edge of the plastic and glanced over his shoulder. "Well," he said to Changkyun, who was still at his work table, "Are you ready to see it?"

Changkyun nodded and Wonho turned to the machine, hoping the other boy would be as impressed with his work as he was. With a flourish, Wonho swept off the plastic sheeting and revealed his machine.

The machine towered over them, almost resembling an oversized arcade game in its blocky design. Wires were strung from an instrument panel on the back, each strand glowing with a soft blue light that cast shadows on the jumbled mess of wires and switches Wonho had painstakingly installed. A monitor was displayed prominently on the front, grayed out at the moment. At the very top of the machine Wonho had painted an X, to remind them of who they are and what they were fighting to recover.

Changkyun's jaw dropped as he paced around the machine, inspecting the details Wonho had spent hours laboring over, and gave a low whistle.

"It's incredible," he breathed. "How— 

"I have all of my drawings back on the table," Wonho interrupted, "and I'll explain everything, I swear. But first, let's hear this idea of yours that you've blatantly used to bribe me into taking an unnecessarily long nap."

Changkyun smirked, but spared him from an I-told-you-so spiel, and they sat back down at the workbench. Pushing one of the plates of food towards Wonho, Changkyun folded his hands neatly on the table and looked at Wonho with a gleam in his eyes.

"Remember the game I played on the Kiform plane?"

Wonho listened with rapt attention as Changkyun shared his theory and they worked late into the night until another missing piece of Wonho's machine fell brilliantly into place.


	4. The Tiger

Kihyun pulled the hood of his coat over his bright pink hair, cinching the drawstrings tightly around his neck before slipping outside. Changkyun and Wonho had been so consumed in their work on Wonho's machine that he hadn't wanted to bother them, opting to leave a note that vaguely explained his absence instead of interrupting. Kihyun hurried across the front lawn and kept to the shadows of the empty street as he made his way north, refusing to look back else he lose his nerve completely.

Two weeks earlier, Jooheon had followed a thread of gossip to a man known simply as 'the Tiger' who had a reputation for being able to acquire just about anything as long as his price could be met. Jooheon had arranged for Kihyun to meet with the mysterious man and tonight was the third and final task that, if they were right, would prove crucial to getting Minhyuk, Hyungwon, and Shownu out of the hospital.

Kihyun ran what-if scenarios through his mind, steeling himself for whatever his final task would be. The first two had been simple enough, just running errands really. But Kihyun had a feeling that the third wouldn't be so easy. His heart began to race as he approached the meeting point. He paused when he reached the building to take a steadying breath before knocking three times on the door. It opened almost immediately and Kihyun was quickly ushered inside.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim interior, he saw that his escorts were wearing plastic animal masks underneath their drawn hoods and he shuddered involuntarily. The men flanked him as they walked down a narrow hallway, stepping aside only when they reached the door at the end. Kihyun looked to the men, but when they didn't make to open the door he reached out a hand and knocked.

"Enter," came a silky voice from within. The door was opened by another masked man from inside, leaving Kihyun no choice but to do as he was told.

In comparison to the cramped darkness of the hallway, the room was almost inviting with its lit fireplace and a plush-looking couch. But when Kihyun locked eyes with the man standing in the corner all of the warmth fled the room. The Tiger smiled and languidly strode to meet Kihyun in the doorway.

"Ah, my young friend back again!" The timbre of the man's remarkably deep voice broke into a giggle, raising the hairs on Kihyun's arms. "Your determination is admirable, so unlike most your age."

"Thank you, Sir." Kihyun replied politely, trying not to let on his discomfort.

The Tiger grinned wickedly, not fooled by Kihyun's act. "It's your lucky night, my friend. It seems that your final task has been carried out for you. Well, mostly— I'll still need you to deliver your package."

Kihyun was confused, but didn't dare ask for clarification.

"No matter," he continued lazily, "a deal is a deal." The Tiger smiled again, studying Kihyun with an open curiosity that made his skin crawl. This was how he imagined a mouse felt when being toyed with by a cat. Right before it was eaten. "I'll have my men escort you downstairs so that you may collect your burden. Then all you need do is transport him to the garage out back..."

Kihyun must have blanched, because the Tiger laughed, "Did I say 'him'? Well, I suppose you would have figured it out sooner rather than later— you see, an acquaintance of mine recently came to an unfortunate end and, quite frankly, he is simply too heavy for me to move. I trust you have a strong stomach?" Without giving Kihyun time to respond, he continued smoothly, "It shall be your final task and considered a completion of payment. Upon your delivery, an associate of mine will ensure you are granted the request you made of me what feels like only yesterday," he trailed off almost dreamily before focusing back to Kihyun, flashing another smile. "But I won't keep you," he offered his hand and another cruel smile. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you, my young friend."

Kihyun shook the Tiger's hand, trying not to recoil when he was met with an icy grip. Suppressing the urge to wipe his hand on his jeans, he turned to go.

"Oh, and Kihyun?"

"Yes, Sir?" He replied, realizing a moment too late that the man had used his name, which Kihyun had never shared.

The Tiger looked at him knowingly, lowering his voice until it was a rumbling purr, "You and I have interests that are more closely aligned than you may realize. Remember that when you and your friends find yourselves in need of a helping hand. Quid pro quo, of course."

Kihyun gulped, bowing briefly before fleeing the room. He was led through the building and left at the threshold of a staircase that he guessed led to the basement. His escorts disappeared, leaving him to work up the courage to descend the stairs. He braced his hands on his knees, certain that he was going to be sick. How could the Tiger have possibly learned his name? And if he knew about all of them... Kihyun shook his head and forced himself to keep moving down the stairs.

He found a large black bag sitting ominously at the bottom of the stairs. Swallowing his revulsion, he gave the bag an experimental tug. It was heavy, and the movement sent a wave of acrid air directly into his face, making him gag. Kihyun took a few seconds to steel himself, then began to heft the bag containing the Tiger’s ‘acquaintance’ back up the stairs, driven on by the thought of his friends and by how close he was to being done with the Tiger’s cruel tasks. 

Kihyun pulled the bag by its strap towards what he hoped was the back of the building, needing to stop a few times to catch his breath, until he reached a door that did indeed lead to a garage of sorts. He trudged to the far corner where he could barely make out a shadowy figure perched on a set of steps. He hauled the bag over, managing to heave it the final few feet before fixing the stranger with a glare.

"Happy?" He demanded, growling in frustration. "I don't know how you do it, dealing with a man like him, but I'm out. I’m done. Now where are the Otherworld flowers?"

The figure didn't respond, but rather raised one gloved hand and pointed at him accusingly. Kihyun glanced from the man to the bag and back, preparing to flat out refuse whatever other hoops he was expected to jump through when a cloth bag was abruptly brought over his head and he was dragged away.

 

\---

 

Kihyun felt the vehicle he had been forced into slow to a stop, the door opening long enough for him to be roughly pushed out. He shivered, buffeted by the cold wind, and was grateful for his thickly lined coat. He let himself be led away, a sudden stillness in the air leading him to believe that they were near a building. His suspicion was confirmed when he was shoved forward, his shoulder clipping the door frame and sending him sprawling. As he recovered, he heard the men's retreating footsteps, but was too slow in removing his blindfold to catch sight of them.

Kihyun took in his surroundings, trying to get his bearings now that he wasn't so dizzy from being moved around. It was a nondescript warehouse, much like one he and the others were staying in, and on the closest dividing wall there was a door with an X spray painted over the grated window. Kihyun's eyes widened, feeling a familiar tug on his energy, which could only mean...

He carefully covered the distance between him and the doorway and closed his eyes, daring to hope that all of his efforts would finally, truly pay off. Kihyun took a deep breath and opened the door, his heart leaping into his throat as a wave of relief swept over him.

"It's true," he breathed, looking over the rows and rows of bright, healthy Otherworld flowers.

He walked along the rows, letting his fingertips gently brush the delicate blooms, laughing delightedly when the action sent small sparks of energy dancing across his skin. His smile broadened when he thought about how much this discovery would raise the spirits of the other boys— after all they had been through, they deserved this small respite at least.

At the end of the rows, Kihyun turned to survey the flowers again and was surprised to see a piece of paper tacked to one of the flower boxes and a small key resting beside it. Trepidation wormed its way through his lightened spirits as he reached for the note, quickly becoming dread as he read the flourishing cursive written there.

_ My young friend, _

_ I hope these flowers meet your satisfaction and that they will help you in whatever mission you and your friends have embarked upon. Because I have so enjoyed working with you, I have included another element to your reward that I believe may prove useful— I took the liberty of having them put in their own planter, which you will find in the southeastern corner of this special warehouse. _

_ The key fits the padlock that bars the door you entered through, and will grant you secured access to your Otherworld treasures. _

_ You know where to find me if you further require my services. Best of luck! _

_ The Tiger _

Kihyun stared blankly at the note, reaching for the key with hands he hadn't realized were shaking. He pocketed it, making a mental note to string it on a chain or cord so he could wear it around his neck or else he might lose it. The elation at having found the Otherworld flowers was now tempered by the thought of something a twisted man like the Tiger would consider 'useful'. Taking a steadying breath and comforted by the familiar strength of the Otherworld flowers, Kihyun squared his shoulders and walked to the shadowy southeast corner of the warehouse. As he approached, he could just make out the square base of the flower box and with a few more steps...

Kihyun gaped at the massive plants, not sure what to make of them. They were beautiful, laden with vibrant flowers that were a deep shade of violet shot through with the blue of the Otherworld flowers. On a hunch, Kihyun reached out to the strange flowers and gasped when he felt a thrum of foreign energy radiating from the blooms. He leaned closer to examine the almost spiky petals and the way they seemed to explode away from the striated hearts of the flowers, trying to understand how they could possibly fit in with all they had learned through the Kiform ritual.

He frowned. The other boys needed to know about this.

Kihyun hurried to the door and stepped out into the windy cold of the night. He used his key to fasten the sturdy padlock that would keep the door closed. Looking around to try and situate himself, he recognized the surrounding buildings and realized with a flare of anger that this warehouse had been only a few blocks away this whole time.

Gritting his teeth against his frustration, Kihyun broke into a brisk jog and was thankful that his healed knees complied so easily. He ran, each breath a visible plume in front of him, and tried to wrap his mind around this new development. The strange flowers had felt so similar to the Otherworld flowers, but there was something different about them—something...

_ Wrong. _

Kihyun almost tripped as the thought entered his mind, recovering his stride as the revelation slowly sunk in. Ignoring the way the cold ached in his lungs, he pushed himself faster and lost himself in the rhythm of his breaths and the pounding of his feet on the pavement.


	5. Crowned

Shownu pounded his fists against the lone concrete pillar in rapid succession, his bloodied knuckles leaving streaks of red on its surface. Letting out a frustrated yell, he slammed his palms flat against the concrete, sending a shock of pain rocketing through his forearms and shoulder blades. He spun around and paced, nervous energy keeping him from sitting still.

The monotony of his limbo left him alone with his thoughts, subject to the memories that haunted him playing over and over in his head. A part of his mind insisted that he deserved this torment but he kept pushing past it, determined that there must be  _ something  _ he could do to right his wrongs and help his family. Giving up on his pacing, he went back to the pillar and was preparing himself for another round of useless injury when he heard a metallic clang behind him.

Whipping around, Shownu saw that a row of vertical bars had appeared, bisected by a horizontal bar that distinctly reminded him of a prison. He approached the bars carefully, not sure what to make of them. The row stretched out to each of his sides farther than he could see and the bars looked solidly driven into the concrete. Considering that there was literally nothing else to do, he tentatively reached for the bars. Upon contact he felt an electric current course through his body, his hands closing around the cold metal and rooting him to the spot.

_ Fuck,  _ Shownu thought, his body completely frozen.

"Shownu."

Shownu's eyes darted around frantically for the source of the voice, his body still completely paralyzed.  _ What do you want? _ He mentally screamed, panicking now.

"I want you to fight," the voice replied silkily, its deep timbre reverberating in his skull as a man stepped out of the shadows on the other side of the bars. He smiled, "And I expect you to win."

The man waved his hand casually and Shownu's grip on the bars was released. Trying not to gape, Shownu crossed his arms— in defiance and to keep his hands away from the bars— and stared down the stranger.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"A friend," the man replied smoothly, an amused smile playing at his mouth. "People call me the Tiger, and I like to believe it suits me." His grin widened, undeniably cat-like. "And you are Shownu— I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"Really," Shownu said, not sure of the Tiger's intentions or how to approach them.

"Really," the man replied. "I've had dealings with your friends, and I must admit you're not quite what I had imagined as a leader of the 'X-Clan.'" He punctuated his last words with air quotes, all the while studying Shown with shameless curiosity.

"You... you've seen my friends?" Shownu couldn't help the hope that laced his words, desperate for any information about how his family was faring without him.

"I have," the Tiger replied nonchalantly, "but I'm here to talk about  _ you, _ my young friend."

Schooling his face into a neutral expression, Shownu waited for the man to continue.

After another moment of uncomfortable scrutiny, the Tiger said, "As I told you before, I want you to fight. If you win, and I truly hope you do, I will offer my services so that you may get what you've been longing for since your self-imprisonment here—"

“What services could you possibly offer me?” Shownu demanded. “My ‘self-imprisonment’,” he added air quotes mockingly, “or whatever you want to call it, has obviously got me stuck here with very little options, but I doubt  _ you  _ can do anything about it.”

"I have my ways, Shownu," the Tiger said casually. "And I will ignore your outburst considering the stressful nature of your situation." He smiled indulgently before continuing, making Shownu's temper rise. "My terms are these: if you fight for me and win, I will open a line of communication between you and your friends."

Shownu felt as if he had been hit in the chest, staggering at the Tiger's impossible offer. Trying to hide his confusion from other man’s curious stare, he narrowed his eyes and asked warily, "And if I lose?"

The Tiger laughed, a cruel sound that sent chills racing down Shownu's spine. "If you lose, then I will simply leave you here. My offer is a good one, Shownu, but I'm afraid it's a bit time-sensitive. Either you can dismiss me and my offer, staying here until you can find your own way out, or you can agree and fight for your freedom. So," the Tiger's stare burned intensely, "what will it be?"

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Shownu asked sharply, staring down the Tiger. “How do I know that you can or will do any of the things you claim?”

He was met with a feral grin, “You don’t— that’s the whole point, my young friend. Now, I’ll ask once more: will you fight for me?”

Shownu hesitated, considering the man's words. He had no idea what sort of fight he was supposed to win, or how he could pull it off, but if there was even a small chance that he could reach his family...

"Fine," Shownu said, straightening his shoulders. "I'll fight."

"Excellent!" the Tiger said gleefully. "I'll leave you to prepare, then. I won't be long—"

"Who am I going to fight?" Shownu interjected, bracing himself for the answer.

"Oh, hadn't I told you?" The Tiger grinned wickedly. "You'll be fighting your friends."

 

\---

 

Shownu bounced on the balls of his feet nervously, keeping his breaths even.

Inhale...1, 2, 3

Exhale...1, 2, 3

The Tiger had been gone for what felt like hours and he had been pacing along the rows of bars anxiously, feeling like a caged animal.

He pressed down hard on his temples, trying to clear his thoughts. He still hadn't figured out what the Tiger had meant by him having to fight his friends, and he had a killer headache.

"Shownu! How are you feeling, my young friend?"

Shownu looked up, surprised to find that the bars had vanished and the Tiger was standing before him with the same maddening grin.

"Let's just get this over with," he replied, trying to ignore the pulsing pain in his head.

The Tiger looked a little put out, "I was hoping for a bit more enthusiasm from my fighter."

Shownu raised an eyebrow at the pout on the man's face, but said nothing.

"Fine," the Tiger huffed petulantly before recovering his grin and clapping Shownu on the shoulder. "Let the fight begin!"

Shownu was plunged into darkness. A spotlight appeared over his head, and another in front of him that illuminated the light brown hair of...

"Oh my god," he breathed, face to face with a younger version of Kihyun.

The other boy was staring at him defiantly, his crooked stance telling of his bowed legs from before his surgery. Shownu heard three clangs of a bell and barely had time to duck as the other boy swung at his head.

"Kihyun—" he sidestepped another punch, reeling at the fury twisting the usually gentle boy's expression. "Kihyun, please—"

"Coward! You call yourself our leader?" the other boy spat, circling Shownu threateningly. "Does the title mean nothing to you? Does  _ your family  _ mean nothing to you?"

"No, of course not—"

"Then why did you leave us? Why did you betray us?"

"I didn't—"

"What did you say to Grandfather? What have you not been telling us?" Kihyun took another swing that caught Shownu on his temple, making his head swim with pain.

"Stop! Please, Kihyun. Don't do this—"

"Do what? Hurt you? As if you haven't hurt us enough?"

_ This isn't real,  _ Shownu told himself,  _ it's not Kihyun. _

"Oh I'm real enough," the younger Kihyun taunted him. "Real enough to recognize you for the coward you are—"

With a despairing cry Shownu punched Kihyun straight in the face. Kihyun raised a hand to his bleeding nose and cackled cruelly, the chilling sound so unlike the Kihyun he knew. Before he could back out, Shownu punched Kihyun again, feeling the other boy’s nose break.

Kihyun disappeared.

Shownu trembled with shock, watching Kihyun's blood slowly disappear from his hands. Before he could recover, another three rings of the bell brought Wonho into view.

"Couldn't handle Kihyun? Man, you're losing your touch, Shownu." Wonho flashed a feral grin before sweeping Shownu's legs out from under him.

Shownu hit the floor, the wind knocked out of him. He clambered back to his feet, his arms held out to defend himself, and tried to get his breathing under control.

_ Inhale, exhale...1 _

_ Inhale, exhale...2 _

Wonho lashed out at Shownu, and caught his cheek, nearly bowling him over and intensifying his throbbing headache. "What happened to the steady leader we were supposed to have? Our rock, our anchor— our  _ Hearth? _ " 

Shownu flinched at Wonho's words, remembering when Shidae had named the Hearth as his Pillar during the Kiform ritual. He had tried his best to uphold his Pillar, but...

" _ Tried your best?"  _ Wonho practically screamed. "Is that what you tell yourself? Is that how you sleep at night, knowing that you—"

In a blind rage, Shownu slammed his palms into Wonho's chest and knocked him over. He heard a sickening crunch as Wonho's head collided with the concrete floor and he disappeared.

Shownu fell to his knees when the bell rang again and a cry escaped him as Hyungwon and Minhyuk materialized before him, their faces drawn into twisted sneers as they looked down on him.

Minhyuk looked around theatrically, "Wow, this sure must be hardship compared to us being in a hospital. Do you have any idea what they've done to us there? Experimented on, drugged—"

"We're in our own hell, Shownu," Hyungwon said coldly, resting his hands on his knees to look Shownu in the face. "And you've been here. Beating up a concrete pillar and reminiscing on all of your failures? That's nothing—"

"Are you just going to stay here in your cushy prison," Minhyuk continued, "And leave us alone out there? Is that what you think a leader does?"

Shownu's head was spinning from Minhyuk's and Hyungwon's rapid-fire verbal assault and so he didn't see Minhyuk's hand until it backhanded him square across the face and sent fireworks exploding across his vision.

"Please don't make me do this," he sobbed. "I don't want to hurt you— I never wanted to hurt you..."

Hyungwon leaned down to whisper in his ear, "But you did."

They disappeared and Shownu buried his face in his hands as the bell gave another three rings. He was hyperventilating, but he was too stricken to count himself down. He was wondering if the Tiger's sick fight would go away if he passed out when he heard an impossibly small voice break the silence.

"Shownu?"

He knew who it was even as he looked up to meet the gaze of a very young Changkyun. The other boy looked at him with huge eyes, exactly as he had when they met for the first time.

"Shownu, are you coming back?" Changkyun asked quietly, looking so vulnerable that Shownu couldn't stop the hot tears that carved their way down the slopes of his cheeks.

"I'm trying, Changkyun," he whispered brokenly. "But I don't know if I'm strong enough."

The young Changkyun glanced over his shoulder at the Tiger who was watching with obvious interest. Shownu had forgotten he was there and felt a flare of rage. He stood and began walking menacingly towards the Tiger, but the young Changkyun moved to block him.

Beckoning him closer, Changkyun stood on his tiptoes to whisper in Shownu's ear.

"You're so close, Shownu. Just... come back to us, okay?"

Shownu met the younger boy's eyes miserably, seeing an open trust that somehow weighed heavier than the insults that had been thrown at him by his other friends.

"Promise?" Changkyun prompted him.

"I promise," Shownu replied, realizing just how much he meant it.

Changkyun smiled at him, reaching up and gently resting his hand on Shownu's forehead. A wave of pain brought Shownu back to his knees and Changkyun was gone. More confused than ever, he heard the bell give three more rings and he lifted his head wearily to meet the last of his friends.

Jooheon stood before him, flanked by two enormous stuffed bears, with his feet firmly planted shoulder-width apart. Shownu had no idea what to make of the bears, but his attention quickly shifted to Jooheon’s hands that were resting on the hilt of a gleaming silver sword, the tip pointing to the ground by his feet. Desperately hoping that his final fight wasn't actually with swords, he met Jooheon's hard gaze and drew strength from the resolve to keep his promise to Changkyun.

"Do what you have to," Shownu said to the very grim Jooheon. "I can take it."

A small smile pulled at Jooheon's mouth and he glanced at the Tiger. The man studied Shownu intensely, his brow furrowed, but gave a slight nod. Turning back to Shownu, Jooheon made no move against him.

"Kneel," he said simply.

Shownu looked at Jooheon warily, waiting for an attack, but when there was none he hesitantly did as he was told. Bowing his head, he saw the sword lifted slowly from the ground and felt its flat edge rest first on his left shoulder and then his right.

"Rise, as champion" Jooheon said quietly.

Shownu stood and met the eyes of this strange version of his good friend. He thought about his rounds against the rest of the boys, and all of the horrible things they said. Looking at Jooheon and the stony indifference of his usually expressive face, Shownu realized that his real friends were out there somewhere, and that wallowing in self-pity wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He needed to get back his family, and to do that he had to pull himself together. Now. 

Risking another glance at the Tiger, the man seemed to be brooding and disappointed. His mind game, toying with Shownu by parading his guilt in the form of those he loved most, had backfired. 

Shownu stood, holding Jooheon's gaze and keeping perfectly still. Jooheon let go of the sword and it clattered to the ground with a metallic ring of finality. His hands now held a laurel wreath, which he gently placed on Shownu's head. He thought he saw a ghost of a smirk cross the other boy's face before his crown touched his skin, but when Jooheon let go of the wreath he felt a violent spike of pain that seemed to radiate from where it rested against his brow and he blacked out.


	6. The Reveal

Wonho looked at his drawings and then up at Changkyun, giving the younger boy a weary smile. They had pored over every last detail, Changkyun finding flaws he had overlooked and being a soundboard for him to work out his thoughts and theories. Wonho knew that he should have sought out help from his friends from the beginning, but at least now he wasn't carrying the weight of creating his machine all by himself.

Changkyun had brilliantly suggested that they use his game on the Kiform plane as a tool to interact with the machine, an idea that had been steadily incorporated over the last few hours. 

Changkyun's game had served to focus his energy, drawing it out through his memories. Wonho figured that the energy they needed to run the machine could be drawn from them in a similar fashion. With more of the lighted wire, he had installed four game controllers that now sat in the boxes protruding from the front of the machine. In theory, anyone who played the game would have to relive their memories like Changkyun had, and while Wonho wasn't looking forward to diving into his subconscious, it would be worth it if it meant his family would be whole again.

"Alright," Wonho said, dusting his hands on his jeans. "Now all we need is—"

"Kihyun!" Changkyun squeaked, hurrying to the door Kihyun had just burst through.

Kihyun was wheezing, his hands planted firmly on his knees and looking shaky as he let down his hood. Changkyun petted at the boy's pink hair that was damp with sweat and Kihyun managed to swat his hands away before breaking into a fit of violent coughing. Changkyun's hands fluttered over Kihyun, his eyes round with worry, and Wonho would have smirked at his frantic mothering if he hadn't been worried himself.

"It's cold outside," Kihyun croaked when his hacking coughs had subsided.

Changkyun threw up his hands, "You don't say! " He glared at the other boy, "What the hell, Kihyun?"

Kihyun looked up at Changkyun, arching his eyebrow, "Um...sorry?"

Changkyun's voice jumped up an octave. "You can't just burst through the door and start coughing up your lungs!"

Kihyun shot Wonho a  _ help!  _ look and he felt his mouth twitch into a smile that he quickly stifled before Changkyun could see. Wonho knew that Changkyun was overreacting, but if Wonho’s boyfriend had disappeared for a few hours and then made Kihyun's entrance he would probably be freaking out too. Wonho frowned— if he  _ had  _ a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend for that matter.

Growing up in a small town, surrounded by the boys at the orphanage, Wonho hadn't made many friends outside their ragtag family. It hadn't seemed important to branch out, surrounded as he was by such a tight-knit, supportive group, but every now and then he wished he had been more social. He enjoyed meeting other people, but growing up he had been content to stay with his family, in his comfort zone—he couldn't help but wonder how things might have been different if he had chosen to branch out, if he might have found someone that would be special to him. That he might have been special for someone, too.

While Wonho had been lost in his thoughts, Kihyun seemed to have placated Changkyun, resting one of his hands on the younger boy's shoulder and cupping his face with the other. Wonho felt a pang of jealousy as Changkyun leaned into the touch and sighed, obviously having forgiven Kihyun as he laced their fingers together and kissed the back of his hand.

"Do we know where Jooheon is?" Kihyun asked, turning back to Wonho, 

Changkyun blushed furiously, obviously having forgotten Wonho was there with them and shooting him an apologetic look. Wonho returned a half smile, reminding himself to be happy for his friends— they all deserved their own happiness, Wonho just hadn't found his yet.

"I haven't seen him, but I'm sure he's around," Wonho replied. Jooheon had been disappearing a lot recently, but they had been respectful of his privacy just like they had with Changkyun.

Kihyun looked thoughtful, "We'll just have to fill him in later— this can't wait."

Wonho cocked his head and fell in line behind the two as they made their way to the kitchen. He smiled to himself, finding a small comfort in resuming his role as the caboose even if only for the short trek.

Much to Wonho's surprise, Jooheon was already seated at the kitchen table, his head buried in his arms. His hair was in complete disarray, even for him. When he lifted his head his eyes were bloodshot and a frown seemed almost etched into his face. Wonho grimaced— Jooheon looked awful, like he hadn't slept in days. They had all been running short on sleep, but Jooheon had always had the most trouble functioning without much rest. Truthfully, Wonho was amazed that he could still sit upright.

"Hey guys," Jooheon gave them a sleepy grin that seemed forced.

"Are you okay, Jooheon?" Kihyun asked, "No offense, but you look like death."

Jooheon flinched and a dark look flickered across his face, but it was gone before Wonho could decipher it. Kihyun looked like he regretted his wording, eyes fixed uncomfortably on the table before clearing his throat.

"I know we all need to get some sleep," he said, "but I have to talk to you first. I think it might help us get Minhyuk, Hyungwon, and Shownu back."

Wonho's eyes widened and Jooheon and Changkyun sat up a bit straighter. Every waking moment had been spent thinking of how to get the boys out of that hospital, but Wonho realized with a start that no one had actually spoken their names in... a long time.  _ Too long,  _ thought Wonho bitterly. He was ashamed of how rusty the names felt now, like he had been disrespecting his friends by hiding behind phrases like 'them' and 'the others'.

_Minhyuk,_ he thought forcibly. _Hyungwon. Shownu._ _His family._

 

\---

 

Wonho sat in his workshop, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling. After Kihyun had told them about the Tiger and discovering the strange new flowers, they had all agreed to sleep until they were rested enough to think more clearly and figure out their next move. Wonho had insisted on taking a first watch considering he had napped for 'a few hours' earlier, not wanting to leave the warehouse unguarded. He had agreed to let them sleep for two hours before waking Changkyun to take his place, but the two hour mark had come and gone. Changkyun would be pissed, but it served him right.

Consulting his watch, he saw that he had twenty minutes before the six hour mark he had decided on. He sighed and padded quietly to the kitchen, resolving to make breakfast as an apology for not waking his friends on time. He hummed softly as he rummaged through the cupboards for pans and dishes, his mind wandering back to the machine and the work that still needed to be done, so he didn't notice that Kihyun had joined him in the kitchen until the other boy cleared his throat. Wonho spun around and gave a small yelp that made Kihyun smile sleepily.

"You let us sleep," Kihyun said, running his fingers through his fluffed up hair and yawning. "Changkyun is going to be mad, but thank you— we needed the rest."

Wonho was relieved to hear Kihyun echoing his thoughts and hoped that the rest of the boys would be as understanding. Wonho took up cooking breakfast again while Kihyun went to rouse the others, humming contentedly while he worked. He heard muffled shouting through the walls and grimaced— Changkyun was up, then.

Jooheon stumbled into the kitchen first and his hair was still a mess, only now it was asymmetrical from sleeping on his side.

"Food?" He asked hopefully.

"Almost," Wonho replied with a grin. "Should only be a few more minutes."

Jooheon perked up a bit, sitting at the table. "What did you—"

"Un-fucking-believable!"

Wonho looked at Changkyun and tried not to laugh, hastily plastering a guilty look on his face. The younger boy had burst through the door and had a scathing expression, but the effect was ruined by the sleep lines still imprinted on one side of his face and the enormous sweater he was wearing.

"I thought we agreed on  _ two  _ hours, not  _ six _ ! _ "  _ He gesticulated wildly, making the sleeves he had had rolled to his elbows fall down to cover his hands entirely, plus about three inches. Noticing his unintentional sweater paws, he waved his hands again and saw the ridiculous effect it gave him. He looked up at everyone watching him, and the silence was shattered by all of them breaking into fits of laughter. Changkyun pushed the enormous sleeves back up to his elbows, but Wonho was happy to see that Changkyun was laughing with them.

When their laughter had subsided, Changkyun turned to Wonho again but with a grin this time. "Okay, fine— I deserved that. Touché."

Wonho's smile broadened and, looking back at their food, declared that breakfast was ready.

With spirits lifted by the prospect of food, the boys waited patiently for everyone to have a plate before digging in. Wonho was sure that it was an average-tasting breakfast, but with their laughter still ringing in his ears it was the best breakfast he had eaten in a very long time.

 

\---

 

Wonho perched on the edge of his worktable and watched as Jooheon and Kihyun circled his machine, surveying their reactions carefully to try gauging what they thought of his work. He had been much more nervous about them seeing it for the first time than he thought he'd be, and even though he knew his worry was baseless, he couldn't help but fidget with the goggles he had taken to keeping around his neck. When he couldn't stand keeping still any longer, he walked over to the other boys.

"So," he ventured, "What do you think?"

"I love it!" Kihyun said excitedly, beaming at Wonho.

"It's really cool," Jooheon added, grinning. "I have no idea how it works, it's totally over my head, but that just makes it even cooler."

"Where did you learn how to do all of this?" Kihyun asked.

Wonho perked up. "Books, mostly. The rest of it I just worked out on my own. With Changkyun's help, of course." He smiled at their youngest, making the other boy blush.

"Only a little bit," Changkyun said. "But we still can't figure out how to connect it with the hospital. We would need another machine, one that could mirror the one we have here."

"Why don't we try reaching them again?" Kihyun suggested. "Even if it doesn't work, maybe we'll get some ideas."

Wonho frowned— all of the times they had tried reaching out to Minhyuk, Hyungwon, or Shownu had been frustrating. No matter what they did, they were always blocked by whatever drugs the other boys were taking, getting snatches of sensation but nothing coherent.

"It's worth a shot," Changkyun said softly, taking Kihyun's hand supportively. 

"Might as well," Jooheon agreed, shrugging nonchalantly but with worry in his eyes.

Wonho was reluctant to face that disappointment again, but nodded and sat on the hard floor of the warehouse. They gathered into a circle and closed their eyes, taking their practiced steps to connect with the unique energy they shared. Wonho felt the energy humming through his body and that of his family, and let his mind go blank except for a vivid image of Minhyuk— willing his mind to seek out the other boy and pushing away the sensations tying him to the warehouse. When he opened his eyes...

 

\---

 

_...Wonho felt like the room was spinning without him, and opening his eyes only proved to enhance the effect. He tried reaching out his arms to steady himself, but found that they were bound tightly to his chest. He, or rather, Minhyuk groaned and rolled his eyes up so that he was looking through dark brown, unkempt bangs. It was strange for Wonho to see dark hair rather than his familiar blue-tipped blonde, and that odd realization brought him back to the task at hand. _

_ Wonho concentrated on taking in what he could about the surrounding room despite how drugged and hazy Minhyuk's mind was. He could feel the restless, arrhythmic energy pulsing from Minhyuk, a glimmer of Hyungwon close by and how distressing that insurmountable distance felt...  _ Concentrate, Wonho,  _ he admonished himself silently, redoubling his efforts and willing his mind to become calm so that he could think. _

_ There was Minhyuk and Hyungwon. The uncomfortable bindings of his straitjacket. A hospital bed in a brightly lit room. The cool tile floor. And there, in the background, so subtle that Wonho had almost missed it— a repeating pattern of quiet, rhythmic beeping... _

 

\---

 

Wonho jolted back into his own consciousness, jumping to his feet and hurrying to his worktable where he rolled out his drawings and began scribbling furiously. One by one, the other boys came back to themselves and blinked their eyes clear. Jooheon was the first to notice that Wonho had left the circle.

"Wonho?" He asked worriedly, "You okay?"

Wonho barely heard him, drawing broad strokes on the paper as the last pieces of his machine fell into place in his head.

"What are you..." Changkyun spoke from just over Wonho's shoulder, his voice trailing away as he followed Wonho's busy hands. "Of course," he finally said, laughing delightedly. "Brilliant, Wonho!"

"What's brilliant?" came Kihyun's voice over his other shoulder.

"I don't get it." Jooheon muttered blankly from across the table.

Wonho kept drawing, his lines smooth despite his hands shaking from excitement.  _ Input here, connecting wavelengths there, close the circuit, and... _ "There," he said quietly, stepping back from the table to survey the finished diagram. "It's done," he breathed, a smile spreading across his face.

"Is that...?" Kihyun asked, slowly recognizing what Wonho had drawn.

"Yep," he confirmed. "We have the machine that mine will connect to." He looked to his family, soon to be made whole. "It's their heart monitor."


	7. The Good Doctor

Hyungwon laid back on his cot and closed his eyes to concentrate, sending a new wave of dizziness washing over him. He had been trying to sit up for what felt like hours, each failed attempt leaving him winded and disheartened. He opened his eyes and focused on the featureless ceiling, psyching himself up before finally forcing his body to comply. With a mighty heave, the room spiraled right side up and he slumped forward, technically sitting up. If he wasn't so sedated he would have cheered his small victory, but as it was he settled for looking around the room, its equally featureless walls still a welcome change of scenery from the damn ceiling.

Trying not to move his head too much else he fall back onto the bed, he saw from the corner of his eye a dark mop of hair leaning against the bed to his left.  _ Minhyuk.  _ He wanted more than anything to reach out to the other boy, but his arms were bound tightly to his chest, making his balance even more precarious. He tried reaching for Minhyuk with his spirit, but even though they were separated by only a few feet it may as well have been miles for how drugged they both were. Resting his chin on his chest, Hyungwon closed his eyes again and willed the room to stop spinning. He didn't know how long he maintained that position, but a sound broke through his foggy mind that made him look up. Impossibly, he found himself facing Jooheon. The other boy was dressed in hospital scrubs and a lab coat, and he grinned when he saw Hyungwon.

"Hey, boys," Jooheon said, twirling the end of his stethoscope theatrically and walking towards him.

_ Well, this is new. _ Hyungwon thought hazily. This was an especially vivid hallucination, but at least it had Jooheon in it— he missed his family, and this was as close as he had come to seeing them for real in a long time.

"Man, you guys are a mess," Jooheon said unnecessarily, moving to Hyungwon and helping him sit up all of the way by swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Then, to Hyungwon's amazement, he hoisted Minhyuk up by the arms to sit on the bed beside him. Minhyuk blinked dazedly, meeting Hyungwon's eyes and smiling weakly.

"Minhyuk," Hyungwon breathed, worried that the illusion would shatter.

"I miss you," Minhyuk said softly before drunkenly swiveling his head. "Jooheon?" He asked incredulously.

Hyungwon reeled,  _ Minhyuk could see him too? _

"I need you guys to drink this," Jooheon said, his voice echoing strangely. Hyungwon looked to Jooheon's outstretched hands and saw two gummy bears, one blue and one purple.

"You want us to drink gummy bears?" Hyungwon asked numbly, his words slurred.

Jooheon's brow furrowed, "Gummy bears? What... ah, hell— Changkyun. Again with the bears? Really?"

Hyungwon stared blankly, somehow more confused.

"Nevermind," Jooheon pressed. "I need you to...um, eat the gummy bears. I guess."

"Are you coming to get us?" Minhyuk asked, his glazed eyes round with hope.

Jooheon smiled, speaking softly but firmly, "Yes, Minhyuk. We're going to get you out, all of you."

"All of us?" Hyungwon asked, tilting his head out of habit and almost falling off the bed in the process. Jooheon steadied him, looking worried.

"You two and Shownu. Kihyun, Changkyun, and Wonho are out with me... you didn't know Shownu was here too?"

Hyungwon looked at the purple gummy bear, wondering how much of this was real. Jooheon followed his gaze and carefully fed it to Hyungwon, doing the same for Minhyuk with the blue gummy bear.

"We're going to get all of you out," Jooheon repeated, taking a step back and glancing between them, looking like he didn't want to leave. He sighed, squatting so that he was looking up at them. "Just... hold on, okay? We'll come for you."

He got up and turned to leave, but Hyungwon said, "Jooheon? Could... could you help us lay down?"

Jooheon hesitated, but nodded and helped them onto their sides so that he was facing Minhyuk. Hyungwon knew that he should thank Jooheon, but all of his attention had fallen back to Minhyuk— he marveled at the other boy, wishing that he could brush the hair out of Minhyuk's eyes and trace his jawline with his fingertips. He longed for touch, but settled for closeness. He heard the door close behind Jooheon and drifted back into the haze of drugs, feeling a familiar tug on his energy before fading completely.

 

\---

 

"Hyungwon? Hyungwon can you hear me?"

_ Wonho?  _ Hyungwon opened his eyes and was happy to see Minhyuk still laying beside him. The other boy was snoring softly and he guessed that he had been dozing too before Wonho's voice had roused him.

"Wonho?" He murmured, not wanting to wake Minhyuk.

"It's working! Oh Hyungwon, it's so good to hear your voice— are you and Minhyuk okay?"

"Um..." Hyungwon wasn't sure how to respond to that, or where to respond for that matter. "Wonho, are you in my head?"

"It's the serum Jooheon gave you, it opened some sort of channel for us to get past the drugs—"

"The gummy bears?" he asked, finding it strange to be talking to Wonho without him being in the room.

"What? Oh, right— Jooheon told us about that. It's kind of a long story, but we'll tell you all about it once we've gotten you out."

"So... that was real? You're really coming to get us?" He felt a glimmer of hope, but wasn't sure if he was brave enough to hold onto it.

"We really are," Wonho promised. "It's hard to explain, but... do you trust me?"

Hyungwon considered this, wondering if he could let himself believe in their rescue. After a minute of sluggish deliberation, he finally replied, "I trust you."

He could hear the relief in Wonho's voice, "Alright, here's what I need you to do: tonight, the heart monitor that's in your room is going to flat line, which will bring personnel running to your room. Jooheon still has his doctor getup and is going to come get you. All that you need to do is, um... pretend to be dead."

Hyungwon blinked slowly, trying to process Wonho's words. He had no idea how pretending to be dead would help them escape, but he trusted Wonho and figured that he had been through stranger things than pretending to be dead.

"Okay," he said simply.

"Just hang in there, we'll get you out."

"Okay," he repeated.

There was a long pause, and Hyungwon thought Wonho may have left, but he heard the other boy speak again, sounding frantic.

"I'm sorry it's taken us so long to get to this point," he said quickly. "And we—"

"Wonho?" Hyungwon interrupted, taking a leap of faith.

"Yeah?"

"I'll see you soon."

"Yes, you will," he replied, and Hyungwon could hear the smile in his voice. "Goodbye for now, Hyungwon."

And he was gone.

Hyungwon lay in silence for a while, deciding to hope one more time. He roused Minhyuk and as he relayed everything Wonho had told him, he felt that hope take root and strengthen his spirit. Their family was coming for them, they were going to be free.

 

\---

 

Hyungwon woke again when he heard the door to their room open, two sets of footsteps telling him that their doctors were back. He dreaded their visits because it meant a new round of drugs, and he was worried that it would drown their brief respite of clarity. Hyungwon didn't think he'd purposefully go to see a doctor ever again.

"Why are they on the bed together?" A severe female voice said, immediately grating on Hyungwon's nerves.

"Don't look at me," said a deeper male voice. "Should we move them back?"

Hyungwon felt panic rise in his chest at the thought of being separated from Minhyuk again.

"No," the other doctor replied, "Both of their vitals seem calmer now. I don't know who moved them, but it'll make our job easier if they're docile."

Hyungwon breathed a silent sigh of relief, though it was short-lived when he saw the hawkish face of the female doctor looming over him. She shined a bright light into his eyes, making him wince, and took out a cloth that she used to clean an area on his neck. The harsh smell of rubbing alcohol assaulted his nose and eyes, quickly followed by a sharp pinch in his neck and the ache of the drugs working into his system. He felt his body weighing down until he could barely blink his eyes clear and watched helplessly as the process was repeated for Minhyuk. The other boy stared back at him, eyes round with fear, and Hyungwon felt his heart breaking with powerlessness.

"Where are their files? The clipboards are here, but they're empty." the male voice asked this time.

"First they move and now their files are gone?" came the female voice, suspicion creeping into her words.

Hyungwon realized with horror that Jooheon must have taken their files earlier. The doctors would realize he had been here, and then they'd never get out...

"Probably the new round of interns," the male voice said, sounding unconcerned. "They probably felt bad for them and moved them closer, and then ran off with the files."

Hyungwon waited with baited breath, hoping that the other doctor would buy the intern theory and not make anything of it.

"I keep telling them that subjectivity is key,” she said briskly, “but they're bleeding hearts, the lot of them." Hyungwon was relieved that her tone was pure annoyance now, and it doubled when he heard their voices fade along with their retreating footsteps.

Focusing back on Minhyuk, he saw that the other boy was shaking slightly and still looking at him with wide eyes. Hyungwon longed to hold him, to be out of these straightjackets and away from the fluorescent lights.

"Hyungwon? Are you okay?" Minhyuk asked quietly.

Hyungwon almost laughed, so worried about Minhyuk that he hadn't considered that worry works both ways. "I'm okay," he said gently. "Are you?'

"Actually, yeah," Minhyuk replied. "I'm not feeling the drugs as much as I usually do."

"Huh," Hyungwon said, realizing that he wasn't as foggy as he usually was. "I guess the serum is working after all."

"The gummy bears?"

"Yeah. I still don't get that, but Wonho said he'd explain once we're out."

"I can’t believe we're actually getting out," Minhyuk admitted. "But once we are, I'm going to hug you really hard and probably never let go."

There was laughter in his eyes, and so much love that Hyungwon thought his heart might burst. He knew that he would never let go of Minhyuk and hoped that he deserved the devotion written so plainly on the other boy's face.

"I love you, Minhyuk," he said softly.

"I love you, too."

They laid like that for a while before drifting off again, waiting for their rescue and more hopeful than they had been for a long time.


	8. In Character

Jooheon fastened the last button of his stolen jacket, stashing the hospital scrubs and lab coat in his duffel before giving himself a once-over in the bathroom mirror. His hair was slicked down neatly with some hair gel he had borrowed from an open locker and the soldier's uniform fit him almost perfectly, its crisp fabric tailored and impeccably clean. He shouldered his bag and drew himself straight before confidently stepping out into the corridor.

He slipped into his character seamlessly, holding his shoulders back and taking clipped and purposeful strides that echoed off the walls in a way that gave no doubt as to his right to be walking down this particular hallway. No one questions military officers, a fact that Jooheon was counting on. Keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead of him, he gave no notice to the hospital staff and strode right out the front doors. He kept his character until he was well out of view, letting himself relax as he closed the distance between him and the warehouse.

"Welcome back," Wonho greeted him at the door, flashing a smile before adding, " _ officer. _ "

Jooheon laughed at that, more out of nerves than anything else, and they went to join Kihyun and Changkyun where they were waiting by the machine.

"Any problems?" Changkyun asked.

"I found Minhyuk and Hyungwon easily enough," he answered, "and I had them drink the serum we made. They were pretty out of it, though. Thought they were gummy bears." He gave Changkyun a pointed look and the other boy clapped a hand to his forehead.

“Hoseok. I knew I played the game for too long. Those bears are probably going to be all over the Kiform plane for a while.” He glanced up at Jooheon sheepishly. “Sorry, guys.”

"And Shownu?" Kihyun asked tentatively.

"I couldn't find him," Jooheon admitted. He had looked in as many adjacent rooms as he could to no avail. "But," he told them, opening his bag and pulling out two folders, "I swiped their files."

Changkyun quickly snatched the files out of his hands, flipping through them and beginning to read so that he wouldn't have to. Jooheon felt his face flush, grateful that Changkyun was still protecting his secret. He could read a few words if he went slowly, but the letters on longer words got mixed up in his head— he hadn't even tried with the hospital records, knowing that most of the words probably wouldn't make sense even if he  _ could  _ read them.

"There's so much in here... they've been working faster than I thought," Changkyun muttered.

"The Otherworld flowers?" Kihyun asked grimly.

Changkyun nodded without looking up from the pages and Jooheon looked back and forth between them. He glanced at Wonho who shrugged, seemingly as lost as he was.

"Uh... guys?" he prompted them, raising an eyebrow.

Changkyun went to Wonho's work table and sat down with a weary sigh, spreading the files across the table. He waited for them to gather around before speaking, still not taking his eyes off the papers.

"I think the doctors are trying to replicate the Kiform ritual," he said bluntly. "These files... they've been studying the Otherworld flowers. Intensively," he seemed to add to himself.

Jooheon looked at the files, seeing pictures of the flowers and the scribbled notes attached to them, and felt his heart sink. Changkyun moved the papers around until he had two sheets placed side by side, and Jooheon waited for the others to give him context clues so he could follow what was going on. Unfortunately, everyone seemed shocked into silence, and so Jooheon spoke impulsively.

"What do they say?"

Changkyun looked at him sharply, and he threw up his hands in frustration. "This is ridiculous. Somebody say something, please."

"Jooheon..." Changkyun said warningly, but Jooheon interrupted him.

"Changkyun. Stop, okay? What. Do. They. Say."

The other boys looked at him quizzically, but Changkyun jumped in before they could say anything.

"It's the cover letters for their files, with their general information and..." he paused uncomfortably, "...our names. We're mentioned by name in their files."

Jooheon looked to his friends, wondering what they would think if he told them. "I can't read..." He began, but panicked and changed his mind. "...upside down," he finished lamely.

Kihyun and Wonho gave him strange looks but seemed to accept his words and shifted the papers right side up for him, which was massively unhelpful, but Jooheon could at least appreciate the sentiment. He studied the papers, trying to glean any information from them that wasn't in the text. There were identical boxes at the top of each page, with lists of numbers and single-word entries that Jooheon guessed were general information like height and weight. Below that were the blocks of text that must have the rest of their names in them. Skimming the first page, he spotted his name and smiled to himself.

He pushed the papers back and started looking through the rest of the files, pretending to read but focusing more on how the pages were formatted and looking for any inconsistencies between Minhyuk and Hyungwon's profiles.

"Huh," he said into the silence, drawing the stares of the other boys. He looked up at them, "Their files are almost identical... that's weird, right?"

"Huh," Kihyun echoed. "I didn't even notice that, but you're right."

"And if they're so similar," Changkyun added, "why isn't Shownu in there too? We all went through the same ritual, so wouldn't they want to test them together?"

"So... what, there's something different about Shownu?" Jooheon speculated, glad that he didn't have to read anything to keep up his side of the conversation.

"He's... older?" Wonho guessed, "Maybe the Otherworld flowers affect a person differently depending on their age."

"Shownu isn’t that much older than Minhyuk," Changkyun pointed out. He rested his chin in his hands, making a small huffing noise. "We must be missing something."

"Regardless," Jooheon said before they could go back to the files, "We have our in. We'll just have to wing it once we're there. So when do we get started?"

"You want to  _ wing it _ ?" Changkyun asked incredulously.

"Of course I don't!" Jooheon retorted, dropping his voice when he saw the hurt look on the younger boy's face. "Look," he said, his eyes including everyone around the table. "I know you guys want everything to be perfect and calculated and..." He sighed, "You didn't see the inside of that hospital— it’s way more intense than the one Grandfather was in. These aren't just doctors we're dealing with, they're scientists. We can't leave them in there any longer than we absolutely have to."

After a heavy pause, Kihyun said, "I agree with Jooheon."

Changkyun looked as surprised as Jooheon felt, but Kihyun continued, "We have to try. Besides," he said, looking at Changkyun with a smile, "We have an advantage— we can use our energy bonds to find Shownu once we're there."

The younger boy didn't look convinced but Jooheon caught his gaze and held it, speaking firmly, "We'll find him, Changkyun. I promise."

He stared back at him and Jooheon knew what Changkyun was thinking— he rarely made promises, but never broke them.

 

\---

 

"Yes, you will. Goodbye for now, Hyungwon."

Jooheon watched Wonho come back to himself and the smile that took over his face when he opened his eyes.

"We did it!" Wonho said excitedly, "I actually got to talk to Hyungwon!"

Jooheon breathed a sigh of relief at the other boy's words. The serum they made from the flowers in the Tiger's warehouse had been a long shot, but it looked like it had paid off.

"So we're on for tonight?" Jooheon asked, sobering the room.

"Yeah," Wonho said quietly, "I guess we are."

"Well," Kihyun said, clapping his hands together and forcing an upbeat tone, "Let's get started."

With flowers they had collected from the Tiger's warehouse, they had created a liquid that would fuel the machine. Wonho explained to them that once they entered the Kiform plane, their energy would become tangible and siphon into the tank where it would further focus their energy so that they could connect with the hospital. They would all need to be connected and focusing their efforts on and through the machine so that their power as the X-Clan could strengthen the boys in the hospital enough to push past the drugs and find their ways to each other. If they all worked together, their combined strength and support would surge through their shared bonds— that connection, as Jooheon understood it, would put the whole of the Clan behind every single member. They were stronger together, and Wonho’s machine would span the distance that stood in their way.

After they had set up and taken their places around the machine, Jooheon looked around the room, meeting the nervous stares of his friends and giving them what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Without another word, they all picked up their controllers and watched the monitor screen flicker to life.

 

\---

 

_ Jooheon slipped through the side door of the Tiger's meeting house, nodding to the two guards standing watch just inside as he embraced the beginning of the Rush. He knew that they were supposed to be stationed outside, but the cold must have driven them indoors. Toying with the idea of ratting them out, Jooheon followed the familiar path to the back of the building where he knew the Tiger was waiting for him. _

_ He boldly walked through the door without knocking, schooling his expression into one of haughty indifference. The Tiger was standing on the far side of the room and raised an eyebrow as Jooheon strode confidently towards him, an amused smile playing at the corners of his mouth. _

_ "On time as usual, Jooheon," the Tiger said lazily, nodding at the couch as an invitation to sit. _

_ Jooheon complied, lacing his actions with the practiced arrogance of his adopted character. These meetings required that he become a version of himself that was capable of the same casual cruelty that the Tiger carried himself with, and even though he was uncomfortable with the way he acted under this pretense, it was necessary so that he could keep an eye on Kihyun during their dealings with this dangerous man. The Rush helped him stay in character, lending him a streak of impulsive arrogance that he knew intrigued the Tiger.  _

_ "It is your friend's final task tonight," the Tiger said with a smile. "He has been a pleasure to work with and I have you to thank for bringing us together. Of course, I know that the end of his contract will be closely followed by the end of yours." He pouted, "And I suppose there's no way for me to convince you to stay on a while longer?" _

_ Jooheon shrugged, "I have prior commitments." _

_ The Tiger sighed dramatically, "If you wish. Now, I have an acquaintance staying in the basement and I'd like you to prepare him for Kihyun's last task— nothing too rough, just enough that he is... pliable." His chilling smile returned, "Furthermore, I have decided to allow you to serve as the final destination for your friend. To see him off, if you will." He dipped his head graciously, as if bestowing a great gift. _

_ "Thank you, Sir," he said smoothly, standing and making to leave. "If that's all—" _

_ "Sit, Jooheon," the man interrupted, his unexpectedly sharp tone catching him by surprise. Jooheon sat back down and felt his expression drawn in mild annoyance. _

_ "I like you, Jooheon," the Tiger said, his voice taking on its silky timbre again. "I really do. It's just that..." he trailed off, tapping his finger against his chin thoughtfully. "I must admit that I don't understand your motives. You agreed to work with me to look after your friend, I understand that. But, you are a puzzle. Which is lovely, don't get me wrong— I enjoy a challenge as much as anyone." _

_ Jooheon lounged into the couch and felt his mouth tilt into a smirk, "You aren't accustomed to puzzles that you can't solve." _

_ The Tiger laughed delightedly, "Precisely. But I am a patient man and will have to wait. We are running a bit short on time," he said, tapping the face of his very expensive watch, "but I wanted you to know, Jooheon, that I will be watching you and your friends closely." _

_ "Is that a threat or a promise?" Jooheon replied casually, the Rush intensifying as a shadow of fear raced down his spine. _

_ "A little bit of both," the Tiger admitted, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "But you have my word that I will not intervene... unless you ask me to." He walked to Jooheon and took his hand to help him up, shaking it firmly and studying him intently. _

_ Jooheon forced himself not to shake too aggressively, knowing despite his recklessness that some boundaries should not be pressed, "I'll keep that in mind." _

_ "Of that, I have no doubt," he replied silkily. "I'll be seeing you soon, I'm sure." _

_ Jooheon knew he had been dismissed, and sauntered out of the room, feeling the heat of the Tiger’s eyes on him until he was out of view. Feeling his Rush begin to fade now that he was alone, he shook his head and drew himself back into the moment, pulling himself straight and walking purposefully towards the stairs that would take him to the basement. _

_ Jooheon scowled when he saw a burly giant standing outside the door— they had worked together once before while overlooking Kihyun’s tasks, and he had taken an immediate disliking to the man. They had never exchanged names, but a grin broke out on the brute's face and Jooheon knew he had been recognized. _

_ "Still here, are we?" He spoke with a lilting accent that Jooheon would have enjoyed if anyone else was attached to it. _

_ "Not for too much longer," Jooheon replied, his words colored with disdain. _

_ "Just couldn't cut it, then?" The other man jeered. _

_ "Yeah, turns out I'm overqualified." Jooheon shot back, grinning mirthlessly. He drew his expression back into a detached blankness and shouldered his way to the door, descending the steps without waiting for a reply. _

_ At the base of the steps, Jooheon pulled the cord of a dim lightbulb, illuminating the small space where the Tiger had said his acquaintance was 'staying'. It was a small space, stuffy with the scent of mildew and without windows, empty except for a figure tied to a chair by his wrists and ankles. Jooheon heard a soft moan from beneath the cloth bag covering his head and without the Rush he would have been sick. _

_ "The Tiger said to prepare him for the boy's final task," Jooheon said vacantly. _

_ "I bet he won't do it— I've seen the little scrap and he doesn't have a killing bone in his body," the other man said gleefully. "I just wish I could stick around to watch him try." _

_ Jooheon glanced at his companion. He hadn’t known that Kihyun’s final task would be cold-blooded murder, but it didn’t surprise him. The Tiger was casually ruthless, and a small part of Jooheon’s mind recognized that he would need to perform in kind. Quickly assessing the situation, he felt the Rush multiply as took a step forward despite his heart pleading with him to stop. Walking to the far side of the room, he picked up a length of steel piping and, not giving himself time to reconsider, swung it hard at the captive's head. He heard a sickening crunch and the figure slumped motionless against his bindings. A silence fell over the room and Jooheon calmly replaced the pipe where he had found it. He walked back to his companion, who was gaping silently at him, closing the distance until they were only a few inches apart. _

_ "You," Jooheon whispered vehemently, "are going to go tell the Tiger that I lost control and... killed this man." His voice caught, but he held the other man's gaze steadily. "I'm going to my checkpoint, and would appreciate my privacy. Understood?" _

_ The other man nodded, but Jooheon held his stare until he shakily repeated, "U-understood." _

_ Without another word, Jooheon stalked back upstairs and made his way to the garage behind the building. He held his hands stiffly at his sides and the rhythmic echoes of his footsteps couldn't quite drown out the words still ringing in his ears. _

_ Killed this man... killed this man... killed this man... _

 

\---

 

Jooheon felt himself jerked back to reality and almost dropped the game from his shaking hands. He glanced nervously at the other boys, wondering if they had experienced his memory, but Wonho spoke before he could.

"That was... something." He ran his hands through his hair, looking dazed, and turned to Changkyun. "Was it like this for you when you played the first time? 

"Yeah," Changkyun admitted sheepishly. “As far as I can tell, it picks a memory and by living it again we make our way through each level." He pointed to the main screen of Wonho's machine and the text flashing there.

_ LEVEL ONE CLEARED! _

_ START LEVEL 2? _

"What did you guys see?" Jooheon asked tentatively.

"Our first night on the ridge," Wonho admitted shyly, not looking at any of them.

"I was back in the warehouse where I found the flowers," Kihyun said quietly.

Changkyun hesitated before whispering, "Grandfather."

They all looked at Jooheon expectantly, each wearing a haunted expression.

"My parents," he muttered. They all gave himself sympathetic looks and he hated himself for lying, but more so for why he had to.

They fell silent, and he looked back at the screen.

_ START LEVEL TWO? _

Jooheon took a deep breath, stood, and started working his way back into the hospital scrubs and lab coat.

"Well?" He asked, looking from face to face as he finished dressing. "Level two, then?"

He was met with silent nods and he fixed his eyes back on the big screen, determined to get his family back together and make up for his actions. On the smaller screen held in his hands, the same prompt was blinking back at him but with a smaller line of text below it.

+1 SECRET

Jooheon gulped, knowing that this was a secret he could never share. He pushed away a vivid image of his family's sympathetic looks morphing into those of horror, and vowed that he would protect his family from having to carry that knowledge— he alone was responsible for the death of that man, and so he alone would bear that burden.

He made sure his handheld game was powered down and moved for the door. He put his hand on the doorknob and looked back at his family, nodding before slipping outside.

He closed the door behind him and drew a shaky breath, convincing himself that their plan would work. In just a few hours, they would all be together again, for better or for worse. Bracing himself, he straightened his shoulders and with his first step felt his surroundings slip away as he fell back into the game.

 

\---

 

Jooheon came back to himself after reliving  _ another _ memory and almost smashed his face into the glass of the hospital's front doors. He recovered his stride and made his way inside, walking with an urgent purpose that would hopefully keep him from being stopped or questioned.

He was considering the stupidity of glass doors when he heard Wonho's voice in his head.

"Five minutes, everybody."

He increased his pace, retracing the route to Minhyuk and Hyungwon and rehearsing his strategy: get to the room, clear the room, find Shownu, run like mad. Admittedly, it wasn't a polished plan, but he figured that it was as good as he was going to get. As the seconds counted down, he felt the beginnings of the Rush and couldn't help but smile. This was his element, and he slipped seamlessly into his character.

An alarm blared through the speakers and he broke into a jog, turning the final corner to see doctors and staff streaming into Minhyuk and Hyungwon's room. He shouldered his way through the crowd outside the door and stepped into absolute chaos.

_ Well, hell. _

He surveyed the scene, doctors with clipboards and interns craning their necks to get a better look blocked his view of the boys, and decided that since the doctors seemed to respond so well to loud noises that a little volume would work just fine.

"Everybody out!" Jooheon screamed, "Move! NOW!" His voice sent the other doctors scurrying from the room, and with a few more strategic bursts of yelling he was able to slam the door behind them.

His ears ringing from the abrupt lack of sound, he hurried to Hyungwon and Minhyuk and gently placed his hands on their shoulders. Minhyuk flinched, but Jooheon didn't recoil, just whispering that he was here, it was okay, and gingerly freeing them from their straightjackets. Minhyuk reached for Hyungwon with shaking arms as soon as he was unconstrained and they latched onto each other, crying freely. Jooheon felt himself tear up, and reluctantly pried them apart.

"I'm sorry, we don't have time," he said urgently. "We still have to find—"

He felt himself torn from reality and everything went black.


	9. Lost and Found

_ Minhyuk ran down a maze of white hallways, surrounded by his family's laughter and feeling as if he had wings. He looked around at the smiling faces of the boys running with him _ — _ they were together again, reunited, free… _

 

\---

 

"Minhyuk? Minhyuk, it's time."

Minhyuk pried his eyes open and smiled when he saw Hyungwon still laying beside him. His mind cleared slowly until he was able to register what Hyungwon said.

"How long do we have?" He asked, anxious for their plan to be set in motion.

"Five minutes," Hyungwon replied. Minhyuk saw hesitation in the other boy's beautiful eyes, and managed a weak smile that he hoped was reassuring.

It was impossible to gauge time in their isolated room, but Minhyuk tried to keep a count going in his head. He kept faltering and having to start over, but the fact that he could count at all meant that the strange gummy bears from Jooheon's visit were helping break through the claustrophobic haze they had been kept under.

The soft blips of their heart monitor slowed and then leveled off into a hum as it flatlined, warning chimes escalating into a blaring that was quickly transmitted to the speaker system in the hall. They heard shouting voices muffled behind their door and Minhyuk was just able to look into Hyungwon's eyes one more time before their door was thrown open and they were hit with a wall of sound.

Minhyuk willed his body as still as he could manage, trying to quell his nervous shaking so that he would appear to have died. He felt Hyungwon laying motionless beside him and couldn't help but remember that night he found the other boy unconscious in the bathtub at the orphanage.  He had poured his vial of serum from the Kiform ritual into the bathwater, which had revived Hyungwon after scaring him half to death. They didn't talk about that night, but Minhyuk had a feeling that Hyungwon would immediately shut down if he brought it up. Considering all that they had been through at the hospital, being so close to each other but never farther apart, Minhyuk knew that he would let the subject go uncovered just so that he could stay as close to Hyungwon as possible— he wouldn't risk even the smallest rift until he knew with absolute certainty that they were safe enough to afford it.

"Everybody out! Move! NOW!"

Jooheon's voice rang in the crowded room, followed by shuffling feet and incoherent jumbles of words quieting and then cut off abruptly with the slamming of the door. He heard a single pair of footsteps coming closer and flinched when he felt a hand settle on his shoulder.

"It's me," Jooheon murmured, "It's okay, I'm here."

Minhyuk felt Jooheon's hands free the clasps of his straitjacket, and he numbly pulled his arms free. His body was shaking from residual fear and from using muscles that had been constricted for so long, but all of that faded into the background and he only had eyes for Hyungwon.

Whimpering, he reached for Hyungwon and they embraced for the first time since being captured on the mountain, holding each other and crying softly. After going so long without human touch, Minhyuk's senses were overwhelmed by the other boy— his hair, his eyes, his skin— it was as if he were experiencing Hyungwon for the first time.

He felt hands gently pulling them apart,and Minhyuk began to panic until he recognized it was Jooheon. His eyes were misty and apologetic, but he firmly separated them until he could meet their eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said breathlessly, "we don't have time. We still have to—"

Minhyuk had just enough time to instinctively grip Hyungwon's hand before the room spun away.

 

\---

 

_ Walking quickly, Shownu made his way to Grandfather’s room. The door was standing open so he slipped inside and pulled it shut behind him, careful to close it quietly. _

_ “Grandfather!” he said, turning around with a smile, “We…” _

_ Shownu’s breath caught in his throat _ — _ the bed was empty, a stack of neatly folded clothes where Grandfather should have been. Shownu’s mind raced through reasons why Grandfather might be out of his bed, but even as his explanations were forming, his eyes filled with tears. Grandfather wasn’t just missing from his room _ — _ he was gone. _

_ They had been too late. _

_ All of the words he wished he could say echoed so loudly in his head that he couldn’t think. He wasn’t ready to be a leader, no matter what Shidae had said. The boys trusted him but how was he supposed to lead them? He was just a kid! He needed Grandfather’s advice because he had no idea what he was supposed to do next. He needed Grandfather to tell him that everything was going to be okay, that he would help them learn about the powers they had now and how to control them. He couldn’t do this all by himself. He needed Grandfather’s help _ — _ he needed more time. _

_ Shownu felt his vial of elixir sitting heavily in his pocket. He held it up and watched the light from the fire dancing through the blue liquid before carefully uncapping the vial, remembering Shidae’s warning about Going Bad as he stared at the elixir. A small voice of reason knew that calling Grandfather’s spirit back when his was a natural death would be going against the natural order of things, but if the power of the Otherworld flowers could even possibly connect Shownu to the spirit world and he could talk with Grandfather one last time… _

_ In his grief, Shownu decided that he had to take that risk. He upended the vial and drank the elixir, its bitter taste the last thing he remembered before everything went black. _

 

\---

 

Minhyuk felt himself thrown back into his body, gasping for air and trembling. He looked at Hyungwon and Jooheon who looked as shaken as he felt.

"What was  _ that _ ?" He croaked.

"I think that was Shownu," Jooheon said softly. "Wait, you guys saw it too?"

Minhyuk looked at the other boy and frowned, "Shownu? What do you mean?"

"Well, the machine Wonho built so we could reach you guys sort of... makes us relive our memories. I don't understand it either," he said quickly, seeing Minhyuk's disbelieving expression, "but we think it has something to do with our bonds from the Kiform ritual."

"So," Minhyuk said tentatively, "We relive each other's memories? Isn't that a bit... invasive?"

"That's just it," Jooheon said, running a hand through his already chaotic hair. "It's only ever been our own memories— this is, um... new."

Minhyuk didn't find that very reassuring, but decided that working out the finer details would have to wait.

"We should go," he said, standing shakily and reaching for Hyungwon's hand.

Jooheon nodded mutely, following his lead. They went to the door and Jooheon peered cautiously outside.

"I think we're clear," he said quietly, "I don't know where Shownu is, though. Which way—"

"Left," Hyungwon said immediately.

Minhyuk raised an eyebrow at the other boy, who looked surprised that he had spoken.

"I... I don't know why I said that..." Hyungwon said haltingly, frowning.

Jooheon shrugged, "Works for me."

Minhyuk glanced at Hyungwon as Jooheon strode confidently down the hallway, and after a moment's hesitation, they followed.

They crept down the corridor, keeping carefully silent. They were approaching a T and would have to decide on another direction, but before they reached that point Minhyuk felt himself falling away again...

 

\---

 

_ Shownu was on the floor, tears hot against his cheeks as the contents of the vial burned down his throat. He felt a heat spreading through his limbs as the Otherworld elixir worked its way through his body. Energy hummed beneath his grief as the power of the Kiform ritual responded to his roiling thoughts. _

_ Grandfather! Come back, Grandfather, I need you _ — _ please... _

_ A sense of warning pressed in on him, reason urging him to stop before it was too late, but Shownu couldn't listen. He didn’t want to listen, not until he spoke to Grandfather. _

_ "Grandfather, please! Come back to me!" _

_ Even as the words tore themselves from his throat, he could feel the elixir in his body rebelling against his unnatural request. He could feel the power twisting, fulfilling his command at a terrible cost, but Shownu was unrelenting. He cried out for Grandfather to listen, to come back, to not leave him alone _ — _ and as a final shudder wracked his body, he felt another presence join his in the room. _

_ "Shownu," Grandfather whispered sadly. "My dear boy, what have you done?" _

 

\---

 

Minhyuk came back to himself and realized they were in an unfamiliar hallway, having continued walking while in Shownu's memory.

The other boys looked at him quizzically, obviously having shared his unsettling experience.

"There," Hyungwon whispered, pointing at a door to their left. "He's in there."

Minhyuk realized that he felt drawn to the door, too— they all shared a hesitant look but Jooheon shrugged again, looking scared despite the nonchalant gesture, and reached for the door.

Somehow, Minhyuk knew that Shownu was behind that door, and as Jooheon twisted the doorknob he felt himself fall back into the memory.

 

\---

 

_ Shownu lifted his head to meet Grandfather's steady gaze, his breath hitching as his eyes filled with tears again. _

_ "Grandfather..." he whispered, terrified that at any moment the illusion would shatter. _

_ "Oh, Shownu," Grandfather said softly, reaching out a hand. "Come here, son _ — _ let's get you up." _

_ The strong grip that pulled Shownu to his feet belonged to a younger man, the man he remembered from his childhood. Standing, Shownu marveled at Grandfather. His tanned skin had a healthy glow and his eyes were clear of the pain that had clouded his last days. _

_ Shownu hastily swiped at his eyes, his words escaping in a rush, "Grandfather, I'm sorry I wasn't here. I'm sorry that I wasn't fast enough, that I wasn't here when _ — _ " _

_ "Shownu, I'm glad you weren't." _

_ "But _ — _ " _

_ "Son, I need you to listen very carefully." Grandfather grasped Shownu's shoulders firmly, "I didn't want to leave you, I need you to understand that _ — _ but I have lived my life. It was a long and happy one, but it was my time. You shouldn't have called me back." _

_ "I know, but I had to see you one more time. I have so many questions and I can't do this without you." _

_ "Yes, you can. You have grown so much, more than you realize. The boys will need your strength now more than ever." _

_ "I don't feel strong," Shownu confessed quietly. He felt young. Stupid. Hopelessly out of his depth. _

_ "You will," Grandfather promised. "You will make do with what you have and in time you will understand that all strong leaders, no matter their age or experience, can only ever do the same." _

_ "I'm scared, Grandfather." Shownu said, not daring to say more than that else his fears and doubts suffocate him. _

_ Grandfather gave him a knowing smile. "That is how I know you will turn out just fine _ — _ a lack of fear is as dangerous as a lack of hope, Shownu. Remember that." _

_ "Yes, Grandfather," Shownu replied miserably. _

_ "Now, I must be getting back _ — _ " _

_ "No!" Shownu protested. "There's so much more I need to ask you, to tell you _ — _ " _

_ "You already have all of the answers you need, Shownu. Look inside yourself and do not be afraid to lean on your friends. They will support you, no matter where you lead them _ — _ you don't have to hold the weight of the world all by yourself." _

_ "I..." Shownu trailed off, not wanting his stolen time with Grandfather to end. He blinked away the last of his fears and looked to Grandfather one last time. "Grandfather?" _

_ "Yes, Shownu?" _

_ "I love you." _

_ A sad smile came to Grandfather's face, and with all the love in the world he replied, "I love you too, son." _

_ Grandfather's figure faded, his eyes sparkling one last time, and then he was gone. _

_ Shownu stared at the now empty space, memorizing the last few minutes so that he could hold on to them forever. After a moment of silence, he turned and walked from the room. Bolstered by the thought of Grandfather's faith in him, Shownu strode out of the hospital and began his long walk home _ — _ he didn't know if what Grandfather said about him was true, but he was determined to prove him right. He would honor Grandfather's memory by leading his friends as best he knew how, and it would begin today. _

_ He felt another spike of unfamiliar energy twisting through his body and he set his jaw. His mistakes today were his own and he would have to address them in time, but for now they had work to do. His family could never know about his horrible decision, his talk with Grandfather, or that he had Gone Bad _ .  _ Not yet. Not without tearing them apart. _

  
  


\---

 

When Minhyuk opened his eyes, he saw Shownu sitting on the floor beside a hospital bed much like the ones in his and Hyungwon's room. The older boy had his head in his hands and was crying softly. He looked up at them with red-rimmed eyes,

"I'm sorry," he sobbed brokenly. "I'm so sorry, for all of it—"

His words were drowned out by an alarm blaring through the hallway speakers.

Minhyuk looked to Jooheon, whose mouth was drawn in a grim line. Without speaking, they hauled Shownu off the floor and ran outside, tearing down the hallway. Minhyuk saw Jooheon grab Shownu's hand, and reached for Hyungwon to do the same.

He didn't know where they were going to go from here, but first they had to get out of this hospital. For good. It wasn't the reunion he had imagined, but for better or for worse, they would be back together again.

They ran.


	10. Epilogue: Shadowed

The Tiger sat at a table in his drawing room, studying the monitor he had mounted on the wall opposite over steepled fingers. Live feeds from the hospital security cameras were tiled on the screen, giving him a disjointed view of the boys' escape from the hospital. He watched them running through the hallways, jumping in and out of each camera's scope until they reached the atrium and slipped outside.

Sitting back in his chair, the Tiger reached to turn off the display, uninterested in the scrambling doctors caught on camera failing to find the boys. He stood and walked to the corner of the room where he could look out of the window. He imagined the boys running stealthily through the streets— scared of every sound, overwhelmed by their reunion but on the run as fugitives... the Tiger sighed, thinking how boring it would be now that they were in hiding again. Granted, he _knew_ where they were hiding, but that was beside the point.

He paced to his desk, pushing aside the boys' files filled with medical jargon and pulling forward the two plants he had potted separately and were the centerpieces of his workspace. He carefully watered each plant in turn, first the vibrantly blue Otherworld flowers and then their violet cousins that were shot through with the same shade. ‘Aether blooms’, he had decided to call them.

Tracing his fingers along the delicate petals of each, he longed for the power he knew they possessed. He knew that with time his doctors would find the key to unlocking the mystery of the Otherworld flowers with the help of Shownu and his Gone Bad blood, he would just have to be patient.

The Tiger would wait, biding his time until the boys of the X-Clan gave him the opportunity he needed. Everyone has weaknesses, and the Tiger believed he had found theirs: each other.

 

\---

To be continued...

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!!  
> A huge shout out to masonjar88 for her editing talents and for putting up with me while I've been deciphering this mess of an MV. I have no idea where our boys are going with all of this, but it's got to be somewhere, right? (RIGHT???)  
> And now we wait...  
> <3


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